The Foresters held off a comeback by the Healdsburg Prune Packers and won their California Collegiate League baseball opener, 11-7, at Pershing Park on Sunday.
John Jensen, Chase Illig and Isaac Coffey all had three hits, and Jensen, Illig and Luke Ritter each drove in two runs,. Illig belted a solo homer for a 4-1 lead in the third inning and Jensen hit a two-out, two-run triple to give Santa Barbara a 6-1 lead in the sixth.
A sacrifice fly by Christian Gambale made it 7-1 in the fifth before Healdsburg erupted for five runs in the sixth. The Packers capitalized on an error and scored five runs off reliever Caleb Sloan to make it a one-run game, 7-6.
The Foresters responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Andrew Wiss hit a ground-rule double and stole third, Logan Allen drew a walk and Ritter doubled both of them home. Jensen reached base on a bunt, Coffey walked to load the bases and Utah Jones drew a walk to score Ritter, raising the lead to 10-6.
Santa Barbara (3-0, 1-0) banged out 17 hits in the game and stole six bases against the previously unbeaten Packers (6-1, 2-1)
Oklahoma State sophomore Brett Standlee started for the Foresters and exhibited good control, notching six strikeouts while allowing just two hits over three innings of one-run ball.
Michael Hobbs turned in two scoreless frames for his Foresters debut in relief of Standlee and picked up the win.
Tennessee right-hander Chase Wallace earned the save.
The Foresters have an off-day on Monday before hitting the road to face the Arroyo Seco Saints for a two-game series starting Tuesday.