The Foresters Are Full Swing Into Summer After 14-0 Win Over The Santa Maria Indians

The Santa Barbara Foresters wasted no time announcing their return to summertime baseball. 

Backed by a 17-hit offensive outburst and four 'Sters pitchers combining on a four-hit shutout, the Foresters continued to open the 2026 California Collegiate League season with a commanding 14 to 0 victory over the Santa Maria Indians on Sunday at Eddie Mathews Field. Santa Barbara had scored in four consecutive innings and had never looked back offensively, cruising to its second win at the start of the summer. 

Starting pitcher left-hander Tanner Grove — who made his pinstripe debut for the Foresters — got the first Sunday game start for the Foresters, tossing in four scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out five Santa Maria batters. Grove appeared in eight games and recorded 18 strikeouts during the 2026 collegiate season for the University of California, Berkeley, tossing four scoreless innings while allowing two hits and having 5 Ks. In comparison, Mason Crang followed with the scoreless fifth inning to earn the win right before Max McGrady and Brody Berlowitz, who combined to complete the four-hit shutout for the 'Sters. 

Continuing good, strong winning energy, this season's opening weekend matchup renewed one of the CCL's most historic summer baseball rivalries. While the Foresters have become a national baseball powerhouse since their founding in 1991, the Indians, founded in 1944, have returned to summer ball competition as a developmental CCL team after 2008. 

After a scoreless first inning, the Foresters struck for two runs in the second before breaking the game open with a six-run third inning. The 'Sters added four more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth inning to build a 14- 0 advantage. 

As fans of both teams filed out of Eddie Mathews Field, the scoreboard told part of the story. 

The 'Sters racked up 17 hits, including five extra base hits, scored 14 runs, and received multi-hit strong performances from six different players. Nick Salmon finished 3 for 4 with a home run, double, three RBIs, and three runs scored, while Kurt Ippolito went 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Joshua Woodworth crossed the plate three times, Caleb Hoover, Makani Nabarro, and Joseph Sandusky each collected two hits in the offensive showcase against the Indians. 

Seventeen hits. 

Fourteen runs. 

Four Foresters' pitchers. 

Second win of the 2026 season. 

The Santa Barbara Foresters could not have drawn up a picture-perfect start to the 2026 season, opening summertime baseball with a complete, all-around team strong performance and sending an early message to the rest of the CCL league: the Foresters are ready to continue competing towards another championship.