The Riptide players are: Chris Abbott, Andrew Aragon, Mason Boelter, Cobbe Galietti, Frank Gamberdella, Trevor Garcia, Andrew Guardino, John Givans, Zach Jensen, Noah Martinez, Cooper Owens, Ryan Rennick, Bryan Rivera, Toby Spach, Derek True, Vince Vogel. The team is coached by John Jensen and assistant coach John Guardino
The Santa Barbara Riptide 11u baseball team participated in its first tournament last weekend in Oxnard. The Riptide is comprised of 11 year olds ranging from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria.
The Riptide took the field in their first ever contest against the Westlake Stars. Santa Barbara jumped out to a 2-1 lead thanks to a leadoff walk by Toby Spach followed by an RBI double to leftcenter by Mason Boelter. Trevor Garcia followed that up with an RBI single to left. Westlake proved to be too much pulling away with a 7-4 win.
In game two the Riptide drew a very tough West Hills Vipers team. The Riptide wasted little time jumping on the Vipers. In the bottom of the first the Vipers starting pitcher struggled walking the first three batters. After a pitching change Trevor Garcia stepped to the plate and on the first pitch hit a towering homer to left center for a grand slam. Cooper Owens led off the second with a single, followed by a single by Scott Feldman. Toby Spach doubled down the right field line driving in Feldman. Derek True and Andrew Guardino both added singles as well. The Riptide marked two more runs to win their first game as a team 9-5. Vince Vogel and Chris Abbott both pitched great in the game.
On Sunday, the Riptide earned a rematch with the Westlake Stars to see who would play for the championship. Trevor Garcia took the mound for the Riptide and pitched three strong innings to earn the win. Andrew Guardino came on in relief to end a late Westlake threat and earned the save with a 10-7 win. Offensively Noah Martinez was 2-3 with a RBI and Andrew Aragon was 1-1 with 2 RBI’s.
The win brought a rematch with the West Hills Vipers. The game was a pitching duel through three innings with the score 0-0. Noah Martinez was dominant going four innings allowing only 3 hits, 1 earned run and striking out 6. West Hills broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth on a couple of hits and an error. The young Riptide answered right back by scoring two runs of their own on singles by Trevor Garcia, Noah Martinez, and Vince Vogel. Vogel came on to pitch the fifth and didn’t allow a run sending the game to the bottom of the fifth tied 2-2. Frank Gamberdella, Mason Boelter and Trevor Garcia all walked to load the bases. With the infield up Noah Martinez hit a chopper over shortstop for a two RBI single putting the Riptide in front 4-2. Vogel closed out the 6th giving the Riptide the championship in their first tournament.
