Four Santa Barbara Forester pitchers combined to shut out the MLB Academy Barons and pick up the 3-0 win on Friday at Pershing Park.
Parker Smith turned in a great start, tossing six scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out five before handing the ball over to the bullpen, which also flexed their muscles.
The Foresters (3-4) got all three of their runs in the bottom of the first inning when, after Will Pendergrass and Payton Tolle reached base, Gavin Kash blasted the team’s first homer of the summer over the right-centerfield fence.
The long bal came with two outs in the inning.
“It’s always good to know your offense is behind you,” Smith said about the early run support. “It took a weight off my shoulders.”
Santa Barbara threatened to extend the lead in the fifth when it had runners on the corners with one out. However, But Pendergrass grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and keep the score at 3-0.
Smith, who was a freshman at Rice University this season, was able to work out of trouble multiple times throughout his outing, as there were runners on in four of his six scoreless innings of work.
“I felt good,” Smith said. “I just wanted to go out and limit the walks, and I think I did that. I’m just trying to stay in the zone and not do too much out there.”
After Smith finished off his outing, he handed the ball over to Alec Grossman, who struck out the side in the seventh.
Following Grossman out of the bullpen were San Marcos alum Ian Churchill and Nick Proctor, who each tossed scoreless innings to secure the win.
Proctor, who was credited with the save, struck out the side in the ninth. The Forester arms combined for 12 total strikeouts on the night while allowing just three hits and three walks.
Kash led the offense, going 2-for-4 with his three-run homer and a double. Pendergrass and Hunter Ensley each tallied a single to round Santa Barbara’s four-hit offensive performance.
The Foresters will turn right around and take on the Conejo Oaks on Saturday at Pershing Park.