Jeff McNeil drove in the winning run for the Foresters with a bunt in the 10th inning.
WICHITA — The first extra-inning game of the season for the Santa Barbara Foresters took place in 103-degree heat on Wednesday. They escaped the pressure cooker with a 7-6 win over the Hutchinson (KS) Monarchs in the opening round at the National Baseball Congress World Series.
“It was intense. There was a lot of stuff going on, but we grinded it out. Historically, the first game is our toughest in this tournament,” said manager Bill Pintard.
Richard Stock led off the top of the 10th with a pinch-hit ground-rule double and Jeff McNeil bunted in pinch-runner Christian Summers to score the winning run. TJ McGreevy downed the Monarchs 1-2-3 in the ninth and 10th to shut the door.
It was an up-and-down day for starter Austin Kubitza, who retired 13 straight at one point in the middle innings. He ended up pitching eight frames, allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits with seven strikeouts.
“It was a courageous effort by Austin Kubitza today,” said Pintard. “He was pounding the strike zone today, which is exactly what we told him to do.”
“It was just about what I expected. They did alright and stayed well-hydrated,” said trainer Sergio Ibarra of tyhe heat. “I think the main thing that concerned me was the humidity rising and I didn’t see some of them sweating enough. That’s a sign of heat exhaustion, but we were okay.”
Stock, who is bound for the University of Nebraska next year, said the heat was definitely a factor.
“It felt like sub-Saharan Africa out there. We had lettuce in our hats. It was crazy,” he said.
Putting lettuce in their caps is something the Foresters picked up during their trips to play in Cuba in years past, as it helps keep their heads cool.
Shortstop Shane Kroker was struggling due to potential heat stroke in the ninth inning, but told Pintard he would stay in the game, knowing that Pintard wanted to pinch-hit Stock, a catcher, for him in the top of the 10th.
“He’s one tough hombre, and that’s what makes you one of those,” said Pintard, who also said that Jared Womack’s toughness behind the plate in the conditions was impressive.
Hutchinson went up 3-0 in the second, but Santa Barbara responded in the the top of the third on RBIs by James Wharton and Jeff McVaney. The Monarchs got one back thanks to a Santa Barbara error in the bottom half . The top of the Foresters’ lineup came up in the sixth, as Brett Vertigan drew a leadoff walk and Jeff McNeil singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. Wharton and Womack would drive in the runners to tie the game at 4-4.
The Foresters scored a pair to take a 6-4 lead in the top of the eighth, but Aritz Garcia hit an RBI single and Jacob McNamara doubled to tie the score once again.
Stock led off the 10th with a ground-rule double to right field, and Summers was put in to run for him. Vertigan hit a ground ball to move him over to third with one out, and McNeil laid down a beautiful safety squeeze bunt to score the winning run. McGreevy’s two perfect innings made the run stand up.
The Foresters play the League City (Texas) Hornets on Friday night, with the game time to be announced. There is a blog set up to track any developments from Wichita up-to-the-minute. All games are broadcast on AM 990 and www.sbforesters.org.
