By Matt Mitchell
The Foresters ran all over the Halos Thursday night. Santa Barbara (18-9) stole seven bases in route to a 10-5 against the Ventura Halos, notching its third win against the Halos in as many games this season.
Stolen bases were only part of the story, however. For the second night in a row, the Foresters bats came alive in a big way. Santa Barbara’s 10 runs came in large part thanks to 11 hits.
Catcher David Clawson (pictured) put the Foresters on the scoreboard first with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, his second home run in as many games. Joey Fiske followed with an RBI single, his second straight game win an RBI. Spencer Steer broke the game open with a 2-run RBI triple and the Foresters took a commanding 5-0 lead after the second inning.
Ventura finally got a run on the board in the fourth on a solo home run, breaking up what was a no-hitter for Foresters starter Jake McDonald. McDonald put forth a dominant effort, going six innings with eight strikeouts, no walks, and allowing a lone run on just two hits.
The Foresters answered right back in the fifth inning. Jake Pavletich hit an RBI single and Joey Fiske followed by scoring a run on a groundout to first to make it 7-1.
Just as the Foresters appeared to have pulled away from the Halos, Ventura mounted a rally in the seventh after Trey Morris relieved Jake McDonald. A balk brought in the first run for the Halos before Ventura’s Dalton Duarte hit a 2-run RBI single to make it 7-4. Corey Herndon came in for Morris and promptly got the final two outs of the inning to shut down the Halos’ threat.
Just as they had all game, the Foresters again answered by scoring two runs in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 10-5. Hard-throwing Garrett Gayle then came in the finish off the Halos in the ninth.
The Foresters will be back in action Friday night at Pershing Park as they take on the Arroyo Seco Saints at 6 p.m. The team plays five games in four days starting Friday.
