The Santa Barbara Foresters were stopped short of a third consecutive NBC World Series title as the El Dorado Broncos defeated Santa Barbara 4-1 on Thursday night in Wichita, Kansas.
It was the second loss in two days for the Foresters, who had won the double-elimination tournament in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2012. The team won its first three games before dropping its final two. Santa Barbara’s season ends with a 36-18-1 record and a 4th-place finish in Wichita.
El Dorado never trailed on Thursday, taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning. The Broncos plated two more in the bottom of the fifth and added another in the sixth to build a 4-0 lead behind starting pitcher Eric Schuermann.
It wasn’t until the ninth inning when Santa Barbara scored its lone run. Ryan O’Hearn reached base to lead off the inning and was knocked in by Steven Reveles.
Schuermann lasted seven innings, giving up only four hits without a walk.
Foresters starter Parker French gave up three earned runs in five innings. As a group, Santa Barbara pitchers allowed only seven runs in five NBC games in seven days.
Three teams remain alive in Wichita, with the Seattle Studs having still not lost a game. Seattle is seeking their first NBC championship after finishing as runners-up in three of the past five years. The NBC World Series has named a champion since 1935.
The Wellington Heat and the Broncos play on Friday for the chance to meet the Studs on Saturday.
