Relentless! Foresters Win Second Straight, 10-0

By Jim Buckley (photos by Ed Bailey, top; Lexi Brintle)

A relentless attack, sparkling pitching, and Web Gem defense combined early Sunday morning for 10-0 run-rule victory over the BTL Hornets in Game 2 at the NBC World Series. A five-run fourth, highlighted by a home run from Mic Paul, was the key to the five-inning win, along with a scoreless complete game from A.J. Krodel (above) and flawless, even exciting, defensive work. Santa Barbara will play a key Game 3 on Tuesday at 6:30 SB time aiming to win Pool C and earn a bye to the quarterfinals. 

Krodel (pictured below) nearly matched Game 1 starter Zack James with his performance. Krodel didn’t allow a hit until an infield roller in the fourth. He wrapped up the short game with a three  strikeouts, a single walk, and three hits. The offense was consistently on fire, scoring in four of the five innings. Every batter reached base at least once.

In the second, the ’Sters got the first run thanks to a wild pitch. Mic Paul had walked and moved to third on a single by Sawyer Farr before the WP let Farr make it 1-0. After Caleb Hoover walked, Caden Miller smashed a long two-out double to right-center to bring in Hoover and double the ’Sters lead. 

The fun continued in the third. After Cole Chamberlain was hit on the foot and then stole second, Easton Moomau lined a single to right to make it 3-0. 

Santa Barbara put up a five-spot in the fourth, breaking the game open. Mic Paul led off the inning by smacking the first pitch he saw high over the right-centerfield fence to make it 4-0, the first homer of the tournament for the ’Sters (and first of his college or summer-ball career). Farr walked and stole two bases and Hoover walked. Miller then rolled a single into right scoring Farr. With ’Sters on second and third, Xavier Esquer lined a single to right and made the score 7-0. Chamberlain drilled a liner to right, moving Esquer to third. A fielder’s choice RBI by Moomau brought Esquer home and made it 8-0. A double by Brenton Clark nearly scored Moomau from first base, but he was cut down at the plate. 

In the fifth, Farr led off with his second hit of the game. After moving to second on a balk, Miller lined a single to right, his third hit of the game, to score Farr. Miller promptly stole second, his third theft in two games. With runners at second and third, Moomau slammed a single to first base. Miller scored with the precious tenth run (the inning ended when Esquer was tagged at home on the same play). In the tournament, a team ahead by 10 runs through five automatically wins.

Miller had three RBI and three hits, while Moomau and Esquer each had a pair of ribbies. The Foresters stole six more bases as well; Miller alone now has four in two games in Wichita.

Though the offense got the headlines, the defense for the Foresters was clutch throughout the game. The litany of excellent plays included:

—Paul made a great grab of a sinking liner to end the first inning. Moving to his right, he dove and snagged a snow-cone catch just above the turf. 

—To end the second, Moomau made a great play on a high chopper between short and third, quickly zinging the ball to Miller to nab the runner. 

—Krodel helped his own cause by snagging a bouncing ball behind his back before tossing to first in the third inning.

—In the fourth, alert Foresters defenders appealed a runner leaving second base early on a fly ball, creating a double play that removed BTL’s lone baserunner to that point. Kiel then ended the inning by snagging a line drive to center while sliding to his knees. 

Again, tune in to our YouTube channel to catch Tuesday night’s important game, scheduled to start at 6:30 pm Santa Barbara time.