There was a fireworks show in Santa Barbara on the Fourth of July, courtesy of the Foresters baseball team.
Baseballs were being sprayed all over Pershing Park like sparks from a skyrocket as the Foresters blew out the Bakersfield Braves 35-2. They blasted four home runs, six doubles and a triple in a 30-hit explosion.
Twelve players drove in runs as the Foresters rolled to their fourth straight win. UCLA’s Pat Caulfield led the way with five RBI, going 4 for 6 with a two-run triple, two-run double and a run-scoring single. The former SBCC standout also scored five runs and stole three bases.
Designated hitter Christian Encarnacion went 4-5, with four RBI on a two-run homer to left and two-run double. The homer was the third of the season for the Oklahoma State-bound Encarnacion.
Sean McLain crushed a three-run homer to center on a 3-4 day, and Jack O’Dowd also delivered a three-run blast to center. Ryan Holgate hit a solo blast and joined Matt McLain, Bradon Boissiere, Peyton Graham, Noah Cardenas and Grant Weiss with two RBI apiece.
The Foresters scored 10 runs in the fifth inning and 12 in the sixth.
On the mound, starter Forester returnee Luke Taggart threw 49 of his 70 pitches for strikes and fanned eight batters in four innings of work. Arizona’s Ian Churchill (San Marcos, SBCC), recent Santa Barbara High graduate and Cal Poly-bound Bryce Warrecker and Blake Adams of Arkansas finished the game.
Warrecker struck out the side in the sixth and seventh innings.
The Foresters wrap up their first week of the season with a 2 p.m. Sunday game against the Inland Valley Buccaneers at Pershing Park. No spectators are allowed at the park. The game can be heard on KCSB.org/sports
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.