The Santa Barbara Foresters had played their last two series against rather rag-tag squads with small rosters and high school players.
Walking into Caesar Uyesaka Stadium during batting practice Thursday, it was clear that the San Luis Blues were no such team. Decked out in matching warm-ups and carrying 36 players from top college programs throughout the country, the Blues got ahead early and defeated the similarly structured Foresters 4-1.
Though it was not a California Collegiate League game (Santa Barbara coach Bill Pintard expects it will be next year), the matchup was a display of two top-tier summer-ball teams going at it. Blues starter Taylor Hubbell, a top prospect out of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, gave up just four hits and one run in seven innings of work, inducing 12 pop-ups in 25 Forester at-bats. He threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the first 19 he faced.
Santa Barbara (9-3) starter Nick Di Napoli, who is fighting for a roster spot, pitched reasonably well against a big, potent Blues lineup, giving up two runs on six hits in five innings of work.
“These guys were definitely a lot more solid than the other teams we’ve played,” said Di Napoli, who pitches for Sonoma State. “We played good defense and everybody picked me up well, but we just couldn’t put it together in the end.”
A Foresters pitching staff that has been nearly untouchable thus far was roughed up just a bit, as the Blues had 10 hits in the game. Santa Barbara also committed three errors despite getting stellar defense from Ryan Goetz at third, Matt Valaika at shortstop and James Wharton at first.
Valaika was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds last week but turned down their first offer because the franchise wouldn’t pay for his schooling. He said he is still hoping to work out a contract with the team.
Goetz was the top bat for the Foresters with two singles and the lone RBI after driving in Davis Duren on a bunt single in the third. The Blues got three hits apiece from William Long and Jason King and put the leadoff batter on base in five of the first six innings.
“They’re a good team and they’re very physical. Our effort was a little disheartening, but we get to play them again,” said Pintard.
As top prospects continue to come in to take roster spots for the Foresters, players like Di Napoli keep scrapping and showing their stuff.
“I try to control the things I can control and it keeps me from feeling pressure,” he said. “This is still the game I’ve been playing since I was 12-years old, you know?”
The Foresters head down to Compton for a CCL matchup with the MLB Urban Academy on Friday, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. All games are broadcast on AM 1490 and sbforesters.org.
