Six Bulldogs Sign With Four-Year Universities
After helping lead the Allan Hancock College baseball team to the second round of the regional playoffs, six players have earned opportunities to continue their careers at four-year universities. Pitchers Marc Baker (Nipomo High School) and Nathan Thompson (Santa Ynez High School), as well as first baseman Felipe Gonzalez (Santa Ynez High School) are headed to NAIA programs. Pitcher Zack Skipper, catcher Ryan Welker (Santa Ynez High School) and second baseman Zach Nyman will play for Division II programs.
"I am very proud of our sophomores for proving you can start at Hancock and go anywhere," said head coach Chris Stevens. "Every one of our sophomores is attending a four-year university or beginning a professional career. It speaks volumes for the program and the student-athletes."
Welker is headed to California State University, Los Angeles after earning a Western State Conference Gold Glove for his defensive excellence at the catching position. Welker led the Bulldogs with a .478 on-base percentage, 34 runs and 10 stolen bases. He finished the season with a .341 batting average and 18 RBI. CSULA went 16-32 in 2014 after capturing the California Collegiate Athletic Association title in 2013. Former Bulldog Jordan Sechler, a St. Joseph H.S. graduate, played for CSULA and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2013.
Nyman accepted an offer to play at Chico State, which is coming off one of its finest seasons in the program's Division II history. The Wildcats went 43-15 in 2014 and made the program's second appearance in the College World Series in the past eight seasons under head coach Dave Taylor. The Reno native played in 24 games for the Bulldogs in 2014. He hit a team-leading .361 and scored 17 runs despite missing 17 games with an injury.
Cal State University, Monterey Bay landed the services of Skipper, a left-handed relief pitcher. The six-foot Skipper was a valuable option out of the bullpen. He went 1-0 with a 2.53 earned run average in 16 games. Skipper struck out 17 in 21 1/3 innings. CSUMB finished 2014 with an 18-22 mark. The Otters played in the West Region Tournament and won the CCAA regular season title in 2013.
After playing together in high school and at Hancock, Thompson and Gonzalez are both headed to Shawnee, Oklahoma to play for Oklahoma Baptist. The Bison set a program record in 2013 with a 55-9 overall record that included a fourth place finish in the NAIA College World Series. Thompson was a two-time All-Conference First Team selection. Gonzalez and Thompson both received Gold Gloves at their respective positions in 2014. Thompson, a left-handed pitcher, went 6-4 in 14 starts with a 2.49 ERA for the Bulldogs. The southpaw scattered 65 hits in 90 1/3 innings with 69 strikeouts. He finished his Hancock career with a 12-7 overall mark.
Gonzalez received All-WSC Second Team honors for the second year in a row. He hit .328 with a team-high 25 RBI to go with a .436 on-base percentage. He hit .351 with a team-best 35 RBI in 2013.
Baker will head to Hawkins, Texas to play for Jarvis Christian. The Nipomo native went 4-2 with a 6.67 ERA for the Bulldogs. He started seven games and struck out 23 in 29 2/3 innings. Baker went 5-6 with a 2.88 ERA as a freshman in 2013. Jarvis Christian went 31-19 in 2014 with the services of two former Hancock players Tommy Muhlethaler and Andrew Clark (Santa Maria High School). Muhlethaler was named the Red River Athletic Conference's Player of the Year in 2014 after hitting .420 with 40 RBI.
Stevens said three more players, pitcher John Drury (St. Joseph High School), outfielder Kyle Smith (Pioneer Valley H.S.) and shortstop Jacob Witkowski, were close to signing with other programs. Catcher Ron Regalado (Righetti High School) will try to earn a spot at Cal State Los Angeles as a walk-on. Infielder Angel Gonzalez (Pioneer Valley H.S.) earned a welding certificate from Hancock and has already landed a job as a welder. Pitcher Cody Thompson, a Righetti High School graduate, will attend Cal Poly as a full-time student.
Lompoc native Ryan Bower, an All-Conference First Team pick, is pitching this summer in the Northwoods League for the Rochester Honkers. The right-handed pitcher will try to sign a professional contract after the summer. As of Monday, Bower has thrown seven innings for the Honkers in five games with eight strikeouts and a 3.85 ERA. In 2014, Bower led the Bulldogs with a 7-5 record, two complete games, to go with 78 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings. He posted a 2.53 ERA.
Hancock is coming off a 24-16-1 season that included the program's first Super Regionals appearance since 2010. The Bulldogs upset No.4 Palomar in the first round of the postseason.