Foresters Remain Unbeaten, Hold Off Saints 6-4
The Santa Barbara Foresters had every reason to let Wednesday evening's game slip away. A four-run lead disappeared. Three defensive errors kept Arroyo Seco hanging around, wanting more. The Saints had all the sneaky momentum after clawing back from an early deficit.
In true Forester fashion, they fired up their bats and continued to pursue under immense pressure.
Instead, at Jackie Robinson Field in Pasadena, Santa Barbara had responded with two decisive runs in the seventh inning. They leaned on its powerful bullpen to lock down a 6 - 4 victory over Arroyo Seco. The Foresters wasted no time applying pressure on the Saints. After two scoreless innings, Santa Barbara put four runs on the board in the third. Chris Newstrom and Kurt Ippolito each collected important rally hits, and Brady Janusek continued his hot start to the 2026 summer season by driving in two runs.
As soon as the Foresters were able to find their footing for this game, Arroyo Seco fought back. The Saints answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. They added another in the fifth, erasing Santa Barbara's advantage and turning the contest into a brand-new ballgame in Pasadena.
This could have been the turning point. Instead, it became the very moment where the Foresters showed their composure. With the game tied entering the seventh inning, Santa Barbara had two crucial runs and reclaimed the lead against the Saints. The Foresters turned seven hits into six runs and ensured that they made every trip around the bases count. Newstrom sparked the offense with a 2-for-4 night, scoring twice and strategically driving in a run. Janusek crossed the plate twice and knocked in two more runs. At the same time, Ippolito added a pair of powerful hits as Santa Barbara was able to piece together an offense throughout the evening rather than relying on one big swing aiming to go over the fence.
One of the most crucial areas of the game was how the Foresters ran within the basepath. Santa Barbara obtained five stolen bases, turning singles into important scoring opportunities to keep the Saints' defense on its toes from the first pitch to the final out of the game.
On the mound, Jack Fowler started the game against the Saints. The sophomore left-hander scattered just one hit across five innings, struck out five, and did not allow Arroyo Seco to settle into a perfect rhythm at the plate. When Fowler's night was finished, the bullpen made sure that the lead stayed in the hands of Santa Barbara. Joshua Woodworth picked up the win before Caleb Hoover, Brody Berlowitz, and Trent Roach combined to finish off the final four innings. The quartet allowed little room for a comeback and delivered the outs the Foresters needed down the stretch.
Arroyo Seco finished with five hits, led by the Saints' Camden Andrews' two-hit outing and Jacob Freer's two RBIs; however, the Saints still could not find a strategy to break through after tying the game in the fifth inning.
For the 'Sters, this victory on Wednesday, June 10th, showed a little bit of all of the team's talents when facing high-pressure moments embedded within the ballgame. They showed a little bit of everything: good eyes at the plate, speed on the bases, and a pitching staff that can answer the call whenever the game seems tight. By the end of the evening in Pasadena, Santa Barbara was once again doing what it has done so often every summer... finding a way to win.
They are coming into the second week of the 2026 season at 4 wins and 0 losses. The Santa Barbara Foresters return to their home, Eddie Mathews Field at Santa Barbara High School, tomorrow, June 11th, at 4:30 PM against OC Riptide!
Truly a game you do not want to miss!