SBCC starter Sean Barry pitched a complete-game shutout on Tuesday against Cuesta. (Presidio Sports Photo)
Sean Barry turned in his second straight solid performance on Tuesday and Connor McManigal drove in three runs with a second-inning double, leading SBCC to a 4-0 shutout of Cuesta in a WSC North baseball game at Pershing Park.
Barry, a sophomore right-hander from Moorpark High, tossed a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts for SBCC’s first complete game of the year. The Vaquero pitchers are No. 1 in Southern Cal and No. 4 in the state with an ERA of 2.03.
“Everything felt good today but a shutout is way more than a pitcher’s stats,” said Barry, after lowering his ERA to 1.32. “We had a couple of sweet plays on defense, including 2 or 3 by (Dallas) Bacon at third. Our defense is sweet and that’s what fuels all of this.
“Coach Aspegren called a good game and he goes to my strength, which is throwing fastballs. It was a good day.”
The Vaqueros, ranked No. 4 in Southern Cal, improved to 11-2 overall and stayed in first in the WSC North with a 4-1 record. Santa Barbara is 7-1 at home this year. Cuesta fell to 3-9 and 1-2.
The Vaqueros scored all four runs in the second inning on four hits and a walk. Jimmy Hill singled with one out and Colby Taylor brought him home with a double to right-center field. Payton Milone singled to left and Spencer Erdman walked to load the bases.
McManigal, a sophomore left-hander from Santa Barbara High, cleared the bases with a double to the fence in right field, giving the Vaqueros a 4-0 lead.
“We knew we were going to jump on him (Cuesta starter Alex Fagalde) because he was missing a lot of fastballs,” said McManigal. “He couldn’t really get his fastball down. I was just looking for a fastball middle in and one that I could piece.
“Sean has been rock-solid the last two games, he almost had a no-hitter at Moorpark and only gave up a couple hits today. I was talking to him the other day and he said he loves how he’s throwing right now. He’s throwing a lot of fastballs and he’s nails right now.”
Barry (2-1) retired 11 in a row in the third through seventh innings. He got out of a second-and-third, one-out jam in the seventh with a comebacker and a strikeout. He walked the first two batters in the ninth but the Vaqueros turned a 3-6-1 double play with Barry covering first, then got a strong play from Bacon to end the game. RJ Hassey hit a grounder to third that Bacon knocked down, picked up and fired to first in time for the final out.
Milone, the designated hitter, went 2-3 while shortstop Matt Henderson was 2-4.
“Sean was a warrior out there from the first pitch to the last pitch and he got a shutout,” said SBCC coach Jeff Walker. “It was an outstanding job and our defense played well behind him. He’s had two good starts in a row. That’s a good club over there and he pitched a complete game.”
The Vaqueros travel to San Luis Obispo to take on Cuesta on Thursday at 2 p.m.
