Santa
Maria Indians drop opener of 7-game home stand
Box
Score
The Santa Maria Indians dropped the opener of
a 7 game home stand to the Santa Barbara Foresters
11-6 Tuesday night. The Foresters, defending NBC
World Series and California Collegiate League
champions, put up a 5 spot against Indians starter
Brendan McDonald in the first inning. The Foresters
Roberto Lopez blasted a 3 run shot to left and
before the fans could blink the Tribe was down
5-0.
The
Indians responded in the first with a run of their
own on a Tyrese McDaniel sacrifice fly to cut
the lead to 5-1. With the Indians trailing 6-1
in the 4th inning, centerfielder Will Campbell
hit an opposite field 2-run homer to right, his
third of the season.
"When
we signed Campbell, we knew we were getting a
burner on the basepaths who could set the table
for us at the top of the lineup. He comes in here
on the first night and hits two homeruns, and
after tonight's shot leads the team with 3,"
said Indians GM Jesse Festa. "We knew he
could run because he led the conference with 43
stolen bases, but this power display was not expected."
The
Tribe, down 8-5 in the 8th pulled a little closer
when left fielder Tyrese McDaniel, evoking visions
of Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, poked one off
the right field netting for his first homerun
of the season to bring the Indians within two.
Manager
Scott Nickason summoned Fresno State reliever
Holden Sprague for his Elks Field debut to open
the eighth. Sprague was hitting his spots and
throwing well, but the Foresters were able to
put the ball where the Indians weren't and added
to their 8-6 lead with a commanding 11-6 lead.
The Indians weren't able to counter and dropped
the non-league contest with the Foresters. (Since
the Indians and Foresters play 7 times this season,
only 6 count as league and the opener between
the two was designated as non-league).
CF
Will Campbell was 2-4 with 3 RBI and LF Tyrese
McDaniel went 2-4 with 2 RBI. Starter Brendan
McDonald took the loss and Foresters starter Nate
Klein picked up the win. Foresters CF Kenny Williams,
son of Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams, led
the way with a 4-6 night and 3 runs scored from
the leadoff spot.
Thursday
the Indians and Foresters play a CCL game a Elks
Field beginning at 6:00pm.
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