Jeremy Montalbano hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Foresters got a stellar relief performance from Glenn Otto in a 6-5 win over the So Cal Catch on Saturday at Biola University in La Mirada.
Down 5-4 with two outs in the ninth, the Foresters got a baserunner on as Matt Henderson was hit by a pitch. That brought up Montalbano, who in the fifth knocked in two runs with a single to give the Foresters a 4-3 lead. But his opportunity appeared to be foiled when Henderson got picked off first. Luckily for the Foresters, the Catch first baseman threw the ball away during a rundown and Henderson motored into third base.
Montalbano made the Catch pay by sending a fastball over the left-field wall.
Tyler Cohen came in relief for Dalton Brown and closed the door on the Catch.
Paddy O’Brien started the game for the Foresters. The UCSB catcher was making his pitching debut — he was drafted by the New York Yankees as a pitcher. The Catch hit a three-run homer off him and loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. Otto came out of the bullpen and held the Catch scoreless through seven innings.
The Catch hit a two-run single off Brown in the eighth to take a 4-3 advantage.
Montalbano erased the deficit in the ninth.
The Foresters improve to 9-2 overall and 4-2 in the California Collegiate League.
