The young guns got it done over at Eddie Mathews Field on Friday.
“We started six sophomores today, which might be a new world record. It’s certainly a record for me,” said Santa Barbara High baseball coach Fred Warrecker, who was coaching the team back when the sophomores’ fathers were sophomores.
The Dons (5-4) dismantled a solid Lompoc squad 9-3 behind a combined 14 strikeouts from tenth-graders Danny Zandona and Collin Dewell.
Zandona, now 5-0, changed speeds effectively, using his fastball and slow curve to baffle the Braves. He fanned seven of the first eight batters he faced, finishing with 10 strikeouts in four innings, allowing just three hits, one run and no free passes.
“He was really solid. He came out and threw strikes and just set the tone early,” said Dewell, who has moved up to the No. 2 spot in the rotation due to a rash of injuries.
“I think they came in expecting to win this game but Danny showed them what’s up.”
The Santa Barbara bats were up, as the Dons smacked 11 hits that were spread between seven batters. Trey Barrett, a tall glass of water at 6-6, went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the fifth that was compounded by a Lompoc error, scoring a third run and leaving him at third.
Joey Gonzales was 3-for-4 with a two-RBI double and Jack Crummer was 2-for-3 with a walk, and RBI and two runs scored.
“Coach (George) Rempe has been getting us to stay really patient at the plate and it’s really helping us come together on offense,” said Crummer, the team’s only returner from last season.
Rempe kept saying “choke and battle” from his post in front of the dugout whenever a Don would find himself deep in the count, and Santa Barbara was able to do so effectively. Gonzales hit a two-strike single in the first, and Zandona knocked in Crummer on a two-strike sacrifice fly later in the inning.
In all, Santa Barbara faced 11 two-strike counts, producing two singles, a double, a walk and two sacrifices out of them.
“To say that I’m pleased is an understament,” said Warrecker of the win. “You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse, but you’re never staying the same as a hitter. We’ve been getting better all week.”
SANTA BARBARA 9, LOMPOC 3
Lompoc…..000 101 1 — 3 7 1
Santa Barbara…..202 032 X — 9 11 1
L: Bower, Dunaetz (4) and Mallory. SB: Zandona, Dewell (5) and Gonzales. WP — Zandona (5-0), LP — Bower.
2B — L: Mallory, Rouleau. SB: Crummer, Barrett, Gonzales. 3B — L: Berryman.
Team records — L: 9-3, SB: 5-4.
