By Jim Buckley (photos by Kylie Koeper): Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame Ernie Banks would have been confused. On Tuesday in Thousand Oaks, Mr. Let’s Play Two! would have had his wish granted . . . sort of. First, the Foresters and Oaks completed a suspended game from June 25, but it only took one inning and one swing of Nate Rombach’s bat to end it, with Santa Barbara winning 6-5. 6-25 Result
In the nightcap—okay, the late-afternoon-cap—the top of the lineup delivered, with Kendall Pettis, Andrew Kachel (pictured), and Dylan Campbell combining for four hits, four RBI and five runs, and the Foresters won 7-3 to complete 1.1 games of CCL baseball.
Coming off the win from the suspended game, the Foresters stayed hot, scoring in the first inning. Batting second, Kachel singled and stole a base and was sent charging home by a Campbell single.
Conejo tied the score in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. But catcher Dylan Leach threw out a would-be basestealer with two on to end the threat.
Kachel was in the middle of another rally in the fifth. First, he drove in leadoff hitter Pettis, who had singled and reached second on an error. After Campbell doubled the very busy Kachel to third, Ryan Wrobleski drove him in with a sac fly. But on the play, the centerfielder making the catch then launched the ball past home plate, allowing Campbell to score to make it 4-1.
Santa Barbara put it out of reach in the seventh with three more runs. And once again, Pettis was in the thick of it. Leach and new arrival shortstop Seth Stephenson were on base when Pettis cracked a two-run double. But another Oaks outfield error allowed Pettis to make the full circuit and score the third run of the inning.
Meanwhile, Gabe Starks, Ian Churchill, and a trio of Foresters relievers allowed a mere one earned run, while striking out 11. The Foresters earned their 20th win of the summer ahead of Wednesday night’s big clash in San Luis against the Blues. Tune in to AM 1290 for all the action starting at 5:50 pm.
