Foresters blanked by Barons
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The ‘Sters fought hard, but the momentum never quite swung their way, with several close calls and almost-runs that just didn’t pan out. The Foresters fell to the Academy Barons; a final score of 3-0.
Ka’imi Kahalekai set the tone early on the mound, picking off a runner at first in the opening, and striking out the “beer batter” to earn all adult fans a coupon for free beer. Terrence Kiel sparked early offensive action with a leadoff single and stolen base, but the Foresters couldn’t cash in, leaving the game scoreless after one.
The Barons opened the scoring in the third inning with a Jarrett Nielson triple, followed by an RBI single from Chip Mertz. The inning ended with a defensive gem by Brady Dallimore, who gunned down Mertz at the plate to prevent further damage.
The Foresters battled in the bottom of the third, but their momentum stalled when Easton Rulli was tagged out at home to end the inning. Despite continued effort at the plate and solid pitching, including a couple of clutch double plays, the Foresters trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth.
Kahalekai kept dealing, picking up his fifth strikeout in the fifth inning, but the Barons managed to tack on another run, stretching their lead to 2-0. The game stayed tight, with both teams battling hard and keeping scoring chances limited.
Andrew Guardino was the first reliever out of the pen and made an immediate impact, striking out three batters looking in a dominant frame, bringing much-needed energy into the Foresters’ dugout as the offense worked to rally. In the bottom half, Dallimore got on base and stole second, but it wasn’t enough.
Opposing pitcher Franky Lopez of the Barons delivered a dominant performance. Lopez tossed 6 shutout innings, surrendering just 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8 Foresters.
The Foresters continued to give their all, but the Barons struck again in the sixth, and the ‘Sters’ offense stalled, leaving the score at 3-0 going into the seventh.
Momentum picked up in the seventh as Kiel and Caden Miller singled, driving Kiel to third with Farr up to bat. Farr walked to load the bases, but the light was snuffed out once again, and the Foresters couldn’t push a run across. The eighth followed a similar pattern.
Tag Andrews was brought in to pitch the final inning for the ‘Sters in a last push to shift the energy. He held the Barons scoreless in the top of the ninth, giving the Foresters one final shot to rally. Despite a determined effort at the plate, the Foresters couldn’t string together the hits they needed, and the game closed with a 3-0 loss at home.
The Foresters look to bounce back tomorrow at 4:30 PM at Eddie Mathews Field as they take on the California Tigers in an exciting 4th of July matchup. Bring your Foresters pride, and your American spirit!
(Article courtesy of the Foresters Olivia Hovorka & Marshall Fiorita).