Santa Barbara High’s baseball team earned a measure of revenge on Jay Navarro and the Ventura Cougars on Tuesday, at the same time moving above .500 in the Channel League for the first time this season with a 6-2 win at Ventura.
Navarro and the Cougars shut out the Dons in their Channel League opener back on March 15, but this time was different.
“I think we played a lot more intelligently against him,” said Dons assistant coach Mike Cooney, giving credit to his hitters’ selectivity.
The Dons forced Navarro to make 90 pitches in four innings and chased him with a three-run fourth.
Peter Ghersen led off with an infield single and Connor McManigal then reached after getting hit with a pitch. After an out, John Brontsema singled home Ghersen and Jeff Paschke doubled home McManigal. Michael Day brought home the final run on a push bunt that scored Brontsema.
Bronstema finished 2-for-3, scoring three runs with the one RBI. Paschke was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
The Dons led 6-0 until Ventura scored twice in the bottom of the fifth.
Gabe Grandcolas started for Santa Barbara on the mound and earned the win. The junior lefty didn’t allow an earned run in five innings while striking out five batters. Grandcolas improved his record to 4-1.
Santa Barbara is now 3-2 in league play while Ventura falls to 2-2. The same two teams play the rubber match of their three-game series on Friday at Santa Barbara High.
SANTA BARBARA 6, VENTURA 2
SB 111 300 0 – 6 8 2
V 000 020 0 – 2 6 3Grandcolas, Smith (6), and Sabado. Navarro, Wasden (5), and Peterson. WP – Grandcolas 4-1 LP – Navarro 3-4.
2B – Brontsema, Paschke
