Santa Barbara High’s Dalton Schroeder ripped a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth to drive in John Jensen and lift the Dons to a thrilling 5-4 win over Buena in a Channel League baseball game on Friday at Eddie Mathews Field.
The win knocked the Bulldogs (8-3) out of first place. Santa Barbara improved to 6-4 in league and 15-8 overall. Dos Pueblos is in first place at 7-2
Santa Barbara scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-1 lead. Buena responded with three runs in the seventh to tie the score at 4-4. The Bulldogs threatened to score more with runners at third and second base with no outs. But reliever Trevor Moropoulos and the Dons’ defense came up big. Moropoulos induced a short fly-ball out to right field and then catcher Skyler Sabado jumped on an attempted squeeze bunt and turned it into an inning-ending double play.
Santa Barbara starter Gabe Grandcolas yielded only one run and two hits through six innings. He tired in the seventh and was lifted after a lead-off homer by Ryan Coker and two singles and a walk to load the bases.
Ian True had two singles and two RBIS and Moropoulos had a double and single and drove in a run to lead the Dons.
