Foresters fans have seen it for years: When our bullpen takes over, it’s game over. And when we get into opponents’ pens, here come the runs. That’s what happened on Thursday when what began as a pitcher’s duel turned into a masterclass in bullpen dominance. The Foresters ground out a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Waves at Eddie Mathews Field, extending their win streak to five and improving to 8-1 in the South division of the CCL.
The Foresters were coming off a road-heavy stretch, and with the fans back in the stands and a full arsenal of arms at their disposal, they weathered early mistakes and leaned on lights-out relief pitching (five scoreless innings, 9 Ks, no walks!). That let the quiet Foresters bats come through with late runs to win.
The Waves struck first, capitalizing on a leadoff hit-by-pitch and a double. A wild pitch and throwing error by Sters 2B Addison Klepsch opened the door for two early runs off starter Drew Reric. But the right-hander settled in quickly, holding firm over four innings and racking up six strikeouts to keep the deficit in check.
Lucas Aguirre took the hill for the Waves and was sharp out of the gate, retiring the side in order in the first and escaping a bit of trouble in the second after a hit-by-pitch and throwing error. His four scoreless innings gave San Diego a chance to preserve their narrow lead deep into the middle innings.
Reric, meanwhile, found his rhythm. He breezed through the second and third innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced during that stretch and showing poise with the heart of the Waves lineup.
Santa Barbara’s bullpen took over from there—and took control. Easton Tumis came in firing, punching out four across two scoreless innings. He worked out of a minor jam in the sixth after allowing a double, proving once again why he’s become one of the most trusted arms on the roster.
The bats stayed quiet until the bottom of the seventh when the Waves handed the ball to their own bullpen—and that’s when things got interesting. Trailing 2-0, the Sters finally broke through. A leadoff walk to Sawyer Farr and a double by Caleb Hoover set the stage for a wild pitch that cut the lead in half. Brady Dallimore followed with a clutch sac fly to tie the game.
Tag Andrews took the ball for the ’Sters in the eighth and matched the moment, striking out two and stranding a runner to keep the tie intact. In the bottom half, the SB bats delivered again. A walk and back-to-back singles broke the 2-2 tie, with a second run scoring on a wild pitch to make it 4-2 heading to the ninth.
JD Goodcase came on for the save and slammed the door with authority, retiring the side in order with a strikeout and two quick outs to seal the victory and send the crowd home happy.
Santa Barbara’s win was a total team effort—stellar relief pitching, timely hits, and late-inning pressure turned what looked like a quiet night into another thrilling chapter in their hot summer. The fun continues with a return match against the Waves on Friday June 20. Come and watch at 4:30 at SBHS or tune in to the Foresters YouTube channel.
