By Nick Masuda: One strike away. The Foresters were one strike away. Then like a miracle, they lost. Well, Santa Barbara was playing the Saints, after all—miracles are sort of their thing. On Thursday night, despite an 11-hit performance, the Foresters gave up a walk-off homer and lost to Arroyo Seco on the road, 8-6.
The Foresters carried a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but a two-out, three-run longball by the Saints’ Drew Cowley sent Santa Barbara to its fifth loss of the summer.
The Foresters pitching staff had 11 strikeouts against three walks on the evening, with Santa Barbara native and University of Arizona senior Ian Churchill working two scoreless innings of relief after Christian Delashmit (pictured) struck out seven in five innings.
Catcher Jared Thomas led Santa Barbara with three RBIs, including one of three Foresters doubles. In his 2021 season debut, third baseman Dylan Campbell had a trio of hits and an RBI in six plate appearances. Leadoff hitter Kendall Pettis had two base hits, including a triple and his ninth stolen base of the season, while Steven Zobac added a pair of hits as well.
Santa Barbara will look to get revenge against the Saints tonight in a 6 p.m. contest at Pershing Park, the first of a three-game weekend homestand that will also include Saturday and Sunday games against the OC Riptide (6 p.m.) and San Luis Obispo Blues (2 p.m.), respectively. Listen to all the action on AM 1290 KZSB.
