WICHITA — Close wins can build character, but the easy ones are nice too.
After two nail-biters, the Santa Barbara Foresters mercy-ruled the Sedalia (MO) Bombers 10-0 in eight innings Sunday to stay perfect in their title defense at the National Baseball Congress World Series.
“This is what we were looking for today in order to really get going and ready for the rest of this tournament,” said captain Ryan Goetz, who had three singles, three runs scored and two batted in on the day.
James Meador drove in three runs on two hits and Andy Workman added a pair of RBIs.
Tim Kelley was stellar as always, this time starting just a few miles from where he plays his college ball at Wichita State. The big righty gave up three hits and struck out two while issuing just one free pass in five innings pitched.
“He just throws strikes with the fastball, curve and change. A guy comes up and it seems like he already has a strike on him,” said Goetz.
Goetz drove in Drew Maggi to give Santa Barbara a 1-0 lead in the first, then singled and stole second with one out in the fourth James Meador singled him in with a line drive that shot off of stater Mike Kickham’s ankle (he was okay). Two more runs would score on singles by James Wharton, Andy Workman and Patric Tolentino before Kickham’s inning and outing was over. He was charged with 10 runs on seven hits.
It didn’t get any better for the Bombers in the fourth inning, as the Foresters collected three base knocks and capitalized on crucial errors at third base and center field to put up four more runs and make it 8-0 heading into the fifth. Goetz drove in the ninth run when he reached on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded in the fifth.
The mercy rule at the tournament (there were three total on Sunday) applies to any 10-run lead after the fifth inning, and Goetz finally crossed the plate on a Bombers error to end the game in the eighth.
Now 3-0 in the tournament, the defending champs will face the local favorite El Dorado Broncos in Monday’s primetime game at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
“We’ve just got to make these guys stay focused, because we haven’t accomplished anything yet,” said manager Bill Pintard.
All games are broadcast on AM 1490 KIST and www.sbforesters.org.
