PASADENA, CA – The Arroyo Seco Saints (11-10) passed the halfway mark of the season as they faced the Santa Barbara Foresters (16-7) for the second time this season.  

Leading up to the 6 o’clock game, the two teams completed the June 10th matchup that was stopped due to a time limit at Jackie Robinson Field. The game began at the bottom of the 7th inning with a score of 12-8 with the Saints in the lead.  

The Saints squad kept their lead and defeated the Foresters 12-11. Daniel Tovar (Nevada Reno) was selected to finish out the game and the Foresters added three runs to the board but could not pass the Saints’ lead.  

Following a win for the Saints, the two teams started their regularly scheduled game at 6:05 p.m.   

Jordan Townley (Transfer Portal) started on the mound for the Saints and allowed no runs in the 1st inning. 

Lane Haworth (Transfer Portal) started the Saints’ off with a leadoff single and Jacob Freer (Azusa Pacific) followed with another base hit. To load the bases, Cody Turner walked and Joey Milto (Transfer Portal) was hit by a pitch to bring in the first run for the Saints.  

Townley walked a few batters in the 2nd inning, but the Foresters could not get anyone across the plate. Keon Moseni (Central Arkansas) singled in the bottom half of the second, but none of the other Saints’ hitters could get past the Foresters starting pitcher AJ Krodel (UCSB).  

At the top of the 3rd, six of the Foresters batters walked and Easton Moomau (UT Rio Grande) scored on a wild pitch. The Saints were down 3-1 heading into the bottom half of the 3rd inning.  

Milto and JJ Kennett (Baylor University) both put up RBIs in the 3rd inning, knotting the score at 3-3. Cade Shumard (New Mexico State) kept the Foresters’ offense scoreless in the 4th and 5th innings.  

The Saints’ offense pushed to get back in the lead in the 4th inning with a 2-run RBI from Turner bringing Haworth and Freer across the plate.  

One of the Saints’ assistant coaches, Matt Stone shared his thoughts on the offenses’ ability to keep momentum when the pitching staff is being challenged.  

“The offense kept us in the game [and] kept fighting for us,” Stone explained.  

Both teams stayed quiet in the 5th and 6th until the Foresters’ catcher Zane Becker (University of Arkansas) walked and then scored off a wild pitch.  

The Saints’ offense could not add any runs to the board in the 7th and 8th innings. The Foresters had bases loaded in 8th off two walks and a HBP, and Cole Chamberlain (University of Texas) pushed two runs across with a 2-run RBI double.  

Both teams went scoreless in the 9th, making the final result 7-5.  

Coming off four losses, the Saints are eager to get back into the win column. In a post game interview, Turner shared his thoughts on how this may affect the team moving forward.  

“It’s baseball, things happen,” Turner said. “We believe in our guys to get the job done.”  

The Saints look to face the Santa Barbara Foresters for another game on Sunday, but this time at their home field up north. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Santa Barbara High School.  

Contributors:

• Saints reporter Taylor Dowdy (Arizona)
• Saints photographer Bella Calagna (Trinity College)