By Jim Buckley; photo by Eric Isaacs
The OC Riptide pulled a page from the Foresters playbook, showing off an effective bullpen that kept the Foresters off the board for most of the game. OC won 2-1 on Saturday night at Pershing Park. The Foresters hope all their fans will come out Sunday at 2 pm for the FINAL home game of the summer vs. the SLO Blues.
The Foresters had their chances Saturday. They put two men on in four of the first five innings but could not find the key hit to score. The best chance ended on a double play in the third.
The OC Riptide bullpen was led by Travis Meisner, who struck out seven ’Sters in his 3 innings. Daniel Naughton gave up only a one-out homer in the ninth to Hunter Ensley (pictured) to earn the save.
The game was packed with oddities. One example: The Riptide ran themselves out of a possible opening run in the third. With the bases loaded and one out, a fly ball lofted toward Sebastian Orduno in rightfield. Oddly, the runner from first tagged up and was thrown out by Orduno at second before the runner from third crossed the plate.
Among the other weird plays—Miguel Santos tagged up and made it to third on a pop in the infield when the third baseman deserted his bag. Griffin Everitt hit Foresters starter Graham Osman with a throw to try to nail a basestealer. A Riptide runner was hit by a batted ball. The Foresters had not one, but two runners picked off first by OC’s Reed Schaefer.
And so it was fitting that the first run came on an odd play. With runners on first and second, a bouncer took a Pershing hop over Santos at short to make it 1-0 OC. Osman stranded two to end the threat.
The Riptide doubled their lead with back to back doubles in the eighth.
Osman was uncharacteristically wild, walking four through five innings, but he gave up only two hits and that one scratch run. The Foresters offense just picked the wrong night to go quiet.
And so the summer comes to a close on Montecito Bank & Trust Night Sunday vs. the Blues. First pitch 2 pm, but come early for pregame ceremonies honoring our Host Families.
