With lots of pitching changes, stingy defense in a low scoring affair, the Foresters edge out the Oceanside Waves for their second straight win and sweep, heading into conference play.
In the second inning, the Foresters were on the board first with smart base running and timely hitting. Right fielder Dave Graybill hit a solid line drive up the middle for a single. Graybill went on to swipe both second and third base, which gave him two stolen bases on the year and the first of the season for the Foresters. Waves’ Pitcher Esquibel walked Foresters’ catcher Colin Yelich and the Foresters had runners on first and third with two outs. Yelich baited the Waves’ shortstop into a putout after a double steal, which allowed Graybill to cross the plate for the Sters’ first run of the ballgame!
In the top of the third inning, second basemen Reggie Southall made a spectacular catch deep behind first base over his shoulder for the second out. Later on in the top of the seventh inning, the Foresters’ first basemen Vance Vizcaino exhibited more of the Foresters’ stellar defense with a diving snag and a put out at first.
Santa Barbara City College product Kit Larsen threw five scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Larsen was then replaced by fellow SBCC teammate, Cody Van Aken, a sidearm specialist from Woodland, CA, who retired three straight batters. After Van Aken’s solid inning, the ‘Ster’s used pitchers Kyle Kubat and Brandon Quintero to close out the game.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, University of Texas Freshmen Brett Boswell hit a deep line drive to left center field for a triple! However, the inning did not become fruitful for the Foresters as shortstop Dillon Dobson grounded out to the second basemen.
The Foresters’ sparked a late rally in the bottom of the eighth innings in which they scored two runs. The Foresters’ First basemen Vizcaino drew a walk from the Waves’ fourth pitcher of the game, Troy Forester. Pinch hitter Grant Davis from Ohio State University executed a hit and run that scored Vizcaino. The Ster’s continued their smart base running when Davis scored from third on a passed ball.
The Oceanside Waves used five pitchers, Emilio Esquibel, Kyle Sachrison, Kevin Piersol, Kevin Schul and Troy Forester but that was not enough to overcome the timely hitting of the Foresters. Despite only five hits, the Foresters’ defeated the Waves’ 3-0.
The EP Beverage Player of the Game was relief pitcher Brandon Quintero, who struck out for batters in two innings and collecting his first save of the season.
Head coach Bill Pintard on the Foresters’ second win of the weekend, “Pitching was outstanding, Yelich did a good job behind the plate, we played good defense, and we ran our plays good. The double steal and the hit and run was excellent and worked out perfectly for us. We’re playing on all cylinders and I’m looking forward to our bats getting going.”
The Foresters’ next game is on Tuesday at 5:05 pm against the MLB Academy Barons at Ceasar Uyeska Stadium, which kicks off conference play. Hope to see everyone out there and ‘Ster it up!
