Sophomore right-hander Kevin Gowdy led Santa Barbara High’s baseball team to a playoff-clinching victory over San Marcos, 7-1, on a sweltering afternoon at Eddie Mathews Field.
Gowdy allowed four singles, struck out five and walked none to earn his sixth win against two losses. Santa Barbara (16-9, 7-4) clinched no worse than third place in the Channel League. They could finish in a tie for second.
The Dons scored once in each of the first 2 innings and five times in the third to take a 7-1 lead. John Jensen’s second single of the game drove in the first run in the third; Tim Stickles doubled off the center-fielder’s glove to drive in another, and Harry Parker singled in two more. Bryce Morison also doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and later scored the Dons’ first run on Skyler Sabado’s infield single.
San Marcos plated its lone run in the third when Parker Rozenburg singled with two outs to drive in Anthony Sanchez.
The Royals are 0-11 in the Channel League and 5-19 overall.
The final game of the regular season for both teams is Thursday at San Marcos .
