GRANT COHEN - NBC Media RelationsWICHITA, Kan. - Only allowing two hits, the Santa Barbara, CA Foresters defeated the Denver, CO Cougars 8-0 by run-rule in the seventh inning in the 2020 NBC World Series powered by Evergy on Tuesday night at Eck Stadium.
Christian Encarnacion and Casey Dykstra led the Foresters with two hits each, Dykstra co-leading the team with two RBIs.
Matthew McLain came up with the first home run at Eck Stadium of the 2020 NBC World Series in the top of the first inning, with a sacrifice fly following a ground-rule double scoring the second run of the game for the Foresters. Santa Barbara scored again off a wild pitch to extend its lead 3-0 heading into the middle of the first.
Sean McLain smashed a home run in the top of the fourth inning with a runner on base to extend the Foresters’ lead to five runs, with another home run by Encarnacion allowing Santa Barbara to go up 6-0. Dykstra capped off Santa Barbara’s scoring run with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning.
Santa Barbara will play the Liberal, KS Bee Jays on Thursday in Wichita. The Cougars will play the Hattiesburg, MS Black Sox on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. at Eck Stadium.