Bower Helps Hancock Snap Slide, Bulldogs Top Ventura 6-2

Bower Helps Hancock Snap Slide, Bulldogs Top Ventura 6-2
March 22, 2014

A three-run sixth inning backed by a solid start from pitcher Ryan Bower helped the Allan Hancock College baseball team win at Ventura College 6-2 on Saturday afternoon in a conference game.

Hancock snapped a three-game losing skid to improve to 5-4 in Western State Conference play and 15-7-1 overall. The Pirates dropped to 3-6 in WSC action and 7-14 for the year. The two teams play at Hancock on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. 

Ryan Bendele got the Bulldogs on the board first in the third inning with a base hit to score Evan Aguilar. The Pirates tied it with a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the third. 

The game remained nodded at 1-1 until Hancock erupted for three in the sixth. Jacob Witkowski scored on a wild pitch to put Hancock up 2-1. Angel Gonzalez followed with a two-run double to drive in Ryan Welker and Felipe Gonzalez to give Hancock a 4-1 lead. The Bulldogs added two more runs in the eighth on a two-run single from Angel Guillen to plate Gonzalez and Cameron Ketchen. 

Ventura added a run in the eighth that was charged to Zack Skipper. John Thomas got out of the game despite allowing two hits and walking one batter. John Drury earned the save with a perfect ninth inning.

Bower earned the victory to improve to 5-2. The sophomore right-hander scattered five hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings. The Lompoc High School graduate walked two and struck out four.

Hancock recorded eight hits in the game led by two hits apiece from Felipe Gonzalez and Guillen. 

Ventura also tallied eight hits 

The Bulldogs remain two games behind first place Oxnard (7-2) and one game behind Santa Barbara and LA Pierce (6-3).