Matt Leonard turned in an average performance in his start for the Santa Barbara Foresters on Thursday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
So far this season, “average” has meant outstanding for the team’s starters. The Cal Poly Mustang threw a four-hit shutout in 6.1 innings of work as the Foresters took the rubber match of a three-game series against the California Oaks 5-0.
“He had just great stuff. From the outfield his curveball looked like it was breaking a ton,” said Andy Workman.
Workman put in a day’s work and then some in left field and at the plate, going 3-for-4 at the leadoff spot and making the best catch of the season thus far in left field.
Conejo’s Jack Marder cranked Leonard’s first pitch of the third inning deep to left, but Workman got a jump on the ball and climbed the wall to snatch it away.
“He’s a tremendous athlete. He had a beat on the ball and he knew the wall was coming and he went up at just the right time,” said manager Bill Pintard. “I’ve seen a lot of catches in my life, but that was one of the best catches I’ve seen.”
After striking out three times in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss down in Thousand Oaks, Workman kicked things off on the right foot Thursday with a leadoff double in the bottom of the first. He scored on a groundout by Ryan Goetz to put the hosts up 1-0.
Goetz reached on an error to kick off the bottom of the fourth and went first-to-third on an ensuing single by Abe Ruiz, eventually coming around to score and make it 2-0. Mark Castellito was plunked with one out in the seventh and Texas Longhorn Tim Maitland followed up with a stand-up triple to knock him in. Workman then singled to drive in Maitland.
Meador drew a two-out walk in the eighth and stole second before Patric Tolentino singled him in to end the day’s scoring.
Matt Hutchinson took over for Leonard and pitched the final 2.2 innings, giving up just one hit along the way He has yet to give up a run in 11 innings of work this season.
The Foresters improved to 17-5 overall and 9-2 in the California Collegiate League, while the Oaks are now 14-10, 7-8.
Santa Barbara hosts the So Cal Black Sox at 5 p.m. on Friday. Parking lot 30 next to the stadium is closed, but plenty of parking is available across the street in lot 38. All games are broadcast on AM 1490 KIST and www.sbforesters.org.
