How fitting that on Eric Pintard’s birthday, the story of the Foresters 9-0 win over San Luis was pitching–great by the Foresters, not-so-great by the Blues. Connor Mayes was outstanding again, going 7 scoreless and walk-free innings, while striking out seven and allowing only one hit. The Foresters, meanwhile, took advantage of 11 walks by Blues pitchers, combining them with 9 singles to score in five of the first six innings.
Every Forester but one in the starting lineup scored a run. Hunter Williams had three hits and three RBI, while Keston Hiura, in his Foresters debut, had three hits and two RBI. Tyler Adkinson scored twice and had a pair of RBI. The Foresters also stole four bases.
Andrew Garretson and Sean Chandler (three strikeouts) wrapped with two scoreless innings.
Kyle Isbel led off the game with a single and scored on the first of William’s RBi. Tyler Adkinson was the first of the 11 walks next and scored during a botched rundown by the Blues. Adkinson drove in Dylan Paul in the second. Then Paul drove in Hiura in the third. The Sters added two in the fourth on an Adkinson sac fly and a Williams single. The first four Foresters batters in the sixth reached base and three of them scored, two on Hiura’s first RBI as a Ster. The great UC Irvine hitter might become a regular fixture at DH.
Mayes was the easy winner of the EP 19 Player of the Game Award. “I was just happy that my team gave me so many runs and that [catcher] Steven [Coe] did such a great job behind the plate.
The Foresters and Blues continue their series on Wednesday at UCSB at 5 pm. –Jim Buckley
