A promising run at the NBC World Series by the Santa Barbara Foresters ended abruptly following a 6-4 loss to the Lonestar Kraken on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
The Foresters trailed 4-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, but came through with their backs against the wall to even the game at 4-4.
Cole Chamberlain and Easton Moomau jump started the rally with back-to-back two-out doubles that cut the deficit to 4-2. Brenton Clark followed with the big hit the Foresters had been chasing all game long, a two-out, two-run, game-tying homer. It was Clark’s first home run of the summer.
With the score tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth, the Kraken got two men on base with a hit batter and an infield error. A sac fly scored one run and a single scored the second to put the Kaken ahead 6-4.
The Foresters were unable to respond in the bottom of the ninth and bowed out of the tournament in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
Quiet bats early in the game doomed the Foresters as they only mustered three hits through the first seven innings and hit into three double plays.
The Foresters met after the game and voted on team awards. Brenton Clark was voted team MVP, AJ Krodel was selected EP 19 Pitcher of the Year, Vince Gamberdella was voted Most Improved Player and Most Valuable Teammate. JD Goodcase was selected Most Improved Pitcher and Easton Moomau received a Coaches Award.
