Jack Crummer broke up a no-hitter in the fourth inning with a base hit, but that was all the offense the Santa Barbara baseball team could muster on Thursday, as the Dons went quietly in a 11-0 loss to Royal in the Righetti Tournament.
The Highlanders’ Cody Buckel had a lot to do with the Dons’ anemic offense, as the hard-throwing right-hander struck out 10 while giving up just the hit to Crummer. The game was called after five innings because of the ten-run rule, which puts Buckel’s strikeout rate off the charts.
Giving up eight runs in the first inning – seven unearned – didn’t help either, leaving Santa Barbara with a large hill to climb.
“In a way, you could say it was over after that,” said Dons assistant coach Mike Cooney, largely because of of Buckel’s performance. “We actually played pretty well the rest of the way.”
Royal is now 14-3 and the Dons 7-7.
Santa Barbara closes out the tournament on Friday with a 4 p.m. game against host Righetti before returning to Channel League play next week with a home-away split with Ventura.
ROYAL 11, SANTA BARBARA 0
Royal 801 20 – 11 12 1
Santa Barbara 000 00 – 0 1 2
R – Buckel, and Winters. SB – Dewell, Crawford (4), and Fraker. WP – Buckel (5-1). LP – Dewell (1-4).
