The Santa Barbara Foresters captured their 11th NBC World Series championship with a 7-2 victory over the Alaska Goldpanners, overcoming a late deficit in a matchup between two storied summer collegiate baseball programs.
The championship came 20 years after the Foresters won their first NBC World Series title. Alaska entered the game as a six-time national champion.
Both teams relied on strong pitching through the early innings, with neither offense able to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Foresters starting pitcher Zane Burns worked four scoreless innings, striking out five batters while escaping early jams after allowing doubles in the first and second innings.
Santa Barbara also threatened in the early innings but was unable to break through. The Foresters stranded a runner at third base in the second inning after a stolen base and an errant pickoff throw, while Brady Janusek doubled in the third but was left on base. In the fifth, Aidan Camberg led off with a double and advanced to third on Janusek’s sacrifice bunt, but the inning ended without a run.
Reliever Grady Westphal retired the side in order in the fifth before the Foresters scored the game’s first run in the sixth. Chris Newstrom opened the inning with a double and later scored on Easton Moomau’s sacrifice fly.
Alaska responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs to take its first lead of the game. Four walks and an infield single contributed to the rally.
Luke Cornelison entered in relief and helped keep the game within reach, striking out the side in the seventh inning.
The Foresters tied the game in the eighth after Carter Rutenbar walked to lead off the inning. Kurt Ippolito’s sacrifice bunt forced an error by the Alaska third baseman, allowing Rutenbar to score. Ippolito later advanced to third and crossed the plate on a balk, giving Santa Barbara a 3-2 lead.
Cornelison retired the side in order again in the eighth, recording two more strikeouts to preserve the advantage.
Santa Barbara added three insurance runs in the ninth inning. Donovan Lasalle reached on an error and later scored after another defensive misplay on Newstrom’s single. Following an intentional walk to Rutenbar, Ippolito, Sawyer Farr and Joseph Sandusky each delivered RBI singles to extend the lead to 7-2. All four runs in the inning came with two outs.
Cornelison completed three scoreless innings in relief to secure the victory, finishing with five strikeouts and earning Player of the Game honors.
The victory secured the Foresters’ first NBC World Series title since 2022. Santa Barbara outscored opponents 49-4 over six NBC World Series games.
