Laughs, Hits, and 19 Runs: Foresters Cruise Past Conejo
Only one big inning can change a baseball game.
The Santa Barbara Foresters had three big ones.
To start this game against the Conejo Oaks, just weeks after pitching on one of Division One college baseball's biggest stages, Calvin Proskey was on the mound tonight in front of Eddie Mathews Field faithful. The UC Santa Barbara right-hander, fresh off an NCAA Austin Regional Game One appearance for the Gauchos, got the start as the Santa Barbara Foresters championed a 19-2 victory over the Oaks.
While the setting and teammates may have changed for the 2026 summer, Proskey said the mindset and attitude stay the same.
"The Regional was really cool," Proskey stated. "I've never thrown in a regional, and that was my first time. It was the coolest thing ever. Bringing it into summer is a lot of the same stuff."
He continued to mention how settling into life with a new summer ball clubhouse filled with talent from programs across the country was really exciting for him.
"It's a lot. First pitch strike, trying to stay ahead, and then once you get ahead, you can just put them away," Proskey said. "Also having fun and meeting some new guys, a lot of the SEC, and just picking their brains and all that fun stuff. New guys are always fun. They have different histories and stories. They are their own people, so some new people and I are always interested in them. Laughing and joking around is the best way to do it."
The chemistry and passion mentioned above were very evident throughout this ball game.
Powered by a relentless offense that produced 16 hits and scored in five different innings, the Foresters cruised to a dominant 19 - 2 victory over the Conejo Oaks Friday evening at Eddie Mathews Field. Santa Barbara piled up their runs in bunches, highlighted by the particular five-run second inning and a seven-run seventh that had turned an already overly comfortable lead into a total rout.
The Oaks had struck first in the opening inning when Matthew Witkow drove in Brandon Contreas with an RBI groundout, but their lead did not necessarily last long.
Santa Barbara immediately knew what they had to do in the bottom of the second inning.
Joshua Woodworth started the rally with a single before Makani Nabarro reached on an Oaks error. Landon Schaefer delivered the game's first big blow with a two-run double, and Caleb Hoover followed with a solid RBI single. Later in the second inning, Sawyer Farr and Brady Janusek helped force more Oaks miscues as the Foresters erupted for five runs and gained a type of steady control at 5 - 1.
Adding another Forester's run in the fourth inning on an RBI single was Marcus Greis; they broke the game open for good in the fifth. Wild pitching, aggressive baserunning, and staying on track with their count at the plate fueled a four-run frame that was able to push the lead 10 - 2. Aidan Camberg and Greis had each driven in runs during the inning while the 'Sters continued to apply pressure on the Oaks.
The offensive onslaught did not stop here.
Schaefer delivered another RBI double in the sixth, and Greis followed with his third RBI hit of the night as Santa Barbara had a strong lead of 12 - 2.
Then came the seventh, the 'Sters had sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven more runs. Nick Salmon opened the inning with a solid double, Makani Nabarro added an RBI single, and Addison Kelpsch was able to drive in a run off a fielder's choice. Camberg was able to successfully knock in another run with a strong hit single, Swayer Farr collected an RBI hit, Jake Despain lifted a sacrifice fly, and Woodworth was able to cap the inning with a two-run single.
By the time the dust had settled, the Foresters had built a 19-2 lead and put the game out of reach of the Oaks.
Schaefer was one of the night's biggest stars, finishing with multiple doubles and driving in runs throughout the game. Greis also delivered a huge performance from the top of the lineup, collecting three hits and four RBIs. Camberg chipped in a pair of solid RBIs, while Woodworth, Farr, Narbarro, and Salmon all equally contributed to the balanced offensive attack.
The Foresters' pitching staff limited Conejo to just two runs while Noah Waldeck and Trent Roach closed the door in the final innings. Combined with a fun-to-watch offensive attack by the 'Sters, turned an early deficit into one of their most complete victories of the young season.
By the final out in the ninth inning, Santa Barbara had showcased exactly what makes summer baseball really special: talented young domestic players coming together to learn their chemistry and put on a great performance that leaves little doubt in the winner's outcome.
Catch the Santa Barbara Foresters at Eddie Mathews Field at 4:30 PM against the MLB Academy Barons!
