July 27, 2011

Santa Barbara, CA - The Santa Barbara Foresters rallied to come from behind and beat the visiting California Wahoos by a score of 9-4. Down 3-0, the Foresters were able to tie the score in the fifth, then rally in the seventh to take a commanding lead.

Wahoos starter Joseph Huthsing, out of Dos Pueblos High School, pitched four scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out four.

Meanwhile the Wahoos put up three runs in the top of the fifth. The rally started with a two-out hit by Marc Baker and a walk to Camron Gniadek. Santa Ynez High School product Zach DeMarcus followed with a double to right field scoring Baker and putting the Wahoos up 1-0. With runners on second and third, Steven Reveles then hit a ground ball to Christian Summers, who sailed his throw over the head of Joe Wallace at first as both runners scored for a 3-0 Wahoos lead.

The Foresters answered back in the bottom of the fifth when designated hitter Jared Womack hit an RBI single scoring Lance Roenicke and Robert Vickers. Brett Vertigan followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Michael Ratterree from third base, tying the score at 3-3.

Santa Barbara tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the seventh. RBIs by Womack (his third), Summers, and Vertigan, who also stole home, put the Foresters up 7-3. Ratterree’s two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth extended the lead to 9-3.

The Wahoos would only get one more run off reliever Matt Vedo who pitched three innings, allowing two hits and just one run for his first win of the season.
“We had some strikeouts in some key situations,” said manager Bill Pintard after the game, “but it’s a nine inning game, so it was important that we stayed with it.”

The San Luis Blues were just a half game back of the Foresters coming into Wednesday’s action and maintained their positionin the standings by splitting a double header with the Glendale Angelenos. The Blues will face the OC Pioneers this evening while the Foresters travel to Compton to take on the MLB Academy Barons. Santa Barbara must win three out of their next four games to clinch the CCL title. Thursday night’s game will begin at 6:30 p.m. in South LA, broadcasted live on AM 990 and SBForesters.org.