By Jim Buckley; photo by Eric Isaacs
With an early offensive explosion and the late-inning arrival of a lefty-righty pair of bullpen aces, Santa Barbara beat the OC Riptide 9-6. Hot-hitting Gavin Kash led the offensive explosion, while Nick Griffin and Nate Proctor provided the clutch pitching from.
To the offense first: Gavin Kash continued his homer-happy summer with No. 8, a three-run shot in the first to open the scoring. The Foresters matched that score in the second. After Peyton Tolle walked and Miguel Santos doubled, a wild pitch allowed Tolle to score. Hudson White doubled in Santos, and Hunter Ensley (pictured) singled to score White. It was the second of Ensley’s team-high 4 hits on the night.
The Foresters kept the scoreboard busy in the second, adding two more thanks to a Tolle groundout and a Santos single to give the ’Sters eight runs through three. Sebastian Orduno drove in run number nine in the fourth.
As this was happening, however, the Riptide were doing damage of their own, touching up Foresters pitching for six runs through four innings. But a pair of bullpen arms came in to shut the door on any further scoring. In the sixth, Griffin came in with the bases loaded and no outs, but induced a pair of groundouts, the second of which was a double play, ending the threat with no runs scored. He then pitched into the eighth without allowing any damage and striking out four. “The Doctor” Proctor made a mound-call and mowed down the Riptide through the ninth to seal the win.
Santa Barbara enjoys two days off, though a large number of Sters will take part in the CCL Showcase Game on Wednesday. Watch the action on local Bally Sports (Cox Channel 70); the game will NOT be airing on Foresters radio.
