By ALEC NOLAN
Foresters pitching once again proved to be too much for the Orange County Riptide, as Santa Barbara hurlers allowed just three hits and notched their second straight shutout, 6-0, on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Texas Tech senior Matt Withrow started and threw four strong innings, giving up just one hit, one walk, and collecting three strikeouts to get the win. The Riptide’s lefty Nick Tanner from the University of North Colorado suffered the loss, giving up seven hits and four earned runs over five innings.
The Foresters got things going early offensively, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. It all started with Michael Smith getting on with a beautiful push bunt single to first base. SBCC’s Matt Henderson followed with a line-drive double to send Smith to third.
Granger Studdard brought home both runners with a line drive up the middle to quickly make things 2-0. Studdard had another solid performance, going 2-4 with 3 RBIs.
Smith doubled to lead off the third and the Foresters scored two more runs with the help of back-to-back RBI doubles from Henderson and Studdard.
Smith scored again in the fifth. He led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and came home on a Henderson sacrifice, his second RBI of the day.
Smith was on base all day for Santa Barbara, going 2-for-2, with two stolen bases, two walks, and three runs.
“I’m just looking to get on base anyway I can to help my team score,” he said. “Whether it’s bunting, taking the walk or stealing bases, I’m going to do whatever it takes to help my team win. The number one thing for me is consistency and continuing to get better each and every day.”
Santa Barbara added its sixth run off OC lefty Perez Knowles. A sacrifice fly from third baseman Trevor Abrams brought in Kaleb Denny, who led the inning off with a stand-up triple down the first baseline.
Pitchers Parker Joe Robinson and Garrett King helped shut down the Riptide, with Robinson going four innings and allowing just one hit and no walks. King pitched the ninth.
The Foresters (5-0) will look for the three-game series sweep against the Riptide at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
