Foresters Sting Hornets, Advance To Knockouts

For the second consecutive game, the Santa Barbara Foresters mercy-ruled their opponent in pool play at the NBC World Series, taking down the BTL Hornets 13-0. It looked like the ‘Sters would finish this one in just five innings, but the offense slowed just a tad, adding an extra inning of game time. With the win, Santa Barbara has secured a spot in the knockout rounds.

It was an instant onslaught from the Santa Barbara offense in the top of the first. After Donovan Lasalle reached via an error, Sawyer Farr walked (what he does best), and Chris Newstrom singled Lasalle home to open the floodgates. Cole Chamberlain and Kurt Ippolito picked up RBIs on successive at-bats before Ippolito and Brady Janusek came home on consecutive wild pitches. Once Zane Becker drew a walk, BTL was forced to make a pitching change, but it couldn’t stop the ‘Sters.

Coming up for the second time, Lasalle punched a ball into center field to bring home the sixth run of the inning for the Foresters. Santa Barbara had four walks and four steals in the lopsided inning.

Tanner Grove was tasked with the start, looking to cruise behind the big offensive performance. And cruise he did. While he got into a bit of trouble in the first with two runners reaching, that was about all the Hornets could muster, as the next three innings only saw two runners reach. In his four innings of work, Grove struck out nine on his way to holding BTL scoreless.

Santa Barbara casually added two more, one in the second and one in the third, but was unable to get to the required 10 after five to end the game extremely early.

Carter Speights was next out for the Foresters, and he did his job, working through an inning while keeping the shutout intact and helping the ‘Sters get some extra hours of sleep.

Carter Rutenbar pulled his best Becker impression in the fifth, giving Speights a hand when he backpicked a Hornets runner to escape a first-and-third situation.

Rutenbar was involved on the other side, too, adding a two-RBI single to get Santa Barbara into double digits after a lengthy at-bat.

With Grady Westphal taking over and holding the shutout, the mercy rule was kept intact and enacted at the culmination of the sixth.

The Foresters are off until Tuesday, when they will take on the Liberal Bee Jays in the final game of group play at 8:30 pm CST.