By Sami Ogan (Photo by Lexi Brintle)
With the game on the line and the bats quiet for most of the night, Terrence Kiel stepped up and delivered the biggest swing of the game: a clutch two-run single in the top of the ninth to take the Foresters to a 4-2 W over the Canejo Oaks on Tuesday evening.
‘Sters arms were in control all night, allowing only one earned run and issuing a single walk. Starting pitcher Noah Waldeck went four innings, followed by bullpen pitchers, Jaden Barfield, Ethan O’Neal, and Steele Eaves, who ran together five frames without an earned run. Eaves earned the save with a strong ninth, ultimately sealing the deal for Santa Barbara.
Offense took a bit of time to wake up, but delivered when it mattered most. After tying the game 1-1 in the sixth on a wild pitch that scored Easton Moomau, the ‘Sters went ahead in the eighth on a clutch RBI double from Brady Dallimore that brought home Sawyer Farr. But the Oaks tied it 2-2 in the bottom of the inning.
In the ninth with extras looming, with two on and two out, Kiel roped a two-run single to right, scoring pinch-runner Liam Keithley and Brenton Clark to put the Foresters ahead 4-2 and Eaves did the rest.
With this win, Santa Barabra starts the month off strong and looks to carry this momentum through the heart of the summer schedule. Catch the ‘Sters at home tomorrow, July 2nd, against the OC Riptide with a first pitch at 4:30pm. If unable to attend in person, tune in live on the Santa Barbara Foresters Youtube Channel. And make your plans to be part of our annual Fourth of July game, 4:30 on Friday; it’ll be over in time for the fireworks!
