Louie Lechich doubled in the second, homered in the fourth, tripled in the fifth and completed the cycle with a single in the seventh while adding six RBIs and three runs scored as the Santa Barbara Foresters walked all over the Barons 15-3.
A nine batter first inning was more than enough for Santa Barbara to lead from start to finish on their way to an easy win. The Foresters made quick work of the MLB Academy’s starter, Nick Sanchez. Sanchez only lasted an inning and a third, giving up five earned runs while walking three and allowing four hits.
From there, the second game of the weekend set against the Barons was simply an inevitable win.
Ty Culbreth set down the Barons 1-2-3 in the first two innings, but ran into trouble in the third. After walking the leadoff man, Elliott Brazilli smacked a one-out single up the middle to put men on first and second. Each runner moved up on a wild pitch before Mark Silva doubled both home to bring the score to 5-2.
The nine batter, three run first inning set the stage for an offensive onslaught for the Foresters. Colt Atwood singled and Ben Johnson walked, then moved up on a wild pitch. After Lechich grounded out to score a run, Garrett Mattlage tripled in Johnson and scored on a double by Joey Epperson to complete the scoring. Mattlage matched Lechich with a 4-for-6 day with the triple, two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Another four came across for the Foresters in the third, highlighted by a three-run bomb over the left field wall by Lechich. The homer was the third of the season for the Lechich, now standing alone for the team-lead and his six RBIs boosted him atop the team as well.
With two outs and Steven Reveles standing at first, Atwood singled and Johnson walked to load the bases. Reveles came home on a wild pitch just before Lechich’s homer.
Culbreth conceded another run in the fifth, his last inning of work. Culbreth left the game inline for the win, having struck out seven while allowing four hits and walking two.
Tejay Antone pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning before Willie Kuhl entered in the seventh. Patrick Weigel continued to shine as he pitched the eighth inning, striking out another batter.
Even with a 9-3 lead in the seventh, the Forester offense kept piling on with another six runs. The Foresters totalled six hits in the inning, including four consecutive to leadoff the inning, highlighted by Lechich’s completion of his cycle and Reveles’ second triple of the game.
Once the inning finally came to an end, the Foresters led 15-3 and had outscored the Barons 24-5 in the first two games of the series.
Hunter Lemke struck out two in the ninth to close out the game and give the Foresters their first consecutive win since June 8 and 9.
