Bats Heat Up, Hancock Baseball Routs Oxnard 11-2 to Snap Six-Game Slide

Zach Rudd drove in three runs and Jake Shusterich drove in two and threw five solid innings to lead the Allan Hancock College baseball team to an 11-2 win at Oxnard on Saturday afternoon. The victory ended the Bulldogs' six-game losing skid and improved their record to 7-8 in Western State Conference play and 15-16 on the season. The Condors fell to 5-10 in league and 12-17-1. The 11 runs represent the Bulldogs' largest offensive output since a 14-5 win over Canyons on February 9.

Oxnard opened the scoring in the second when Niko Lima took Shusterich deep for a two-run home run to take an early 2-0 lead. Shusterich and three relievers kept Oxnard off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

Hancock's offense came to life in the third when Chris Tani led off the inning with a home run, his first of the season made it a one-run game. Ryan Pearce, Jeff Ray, and Shusterich drew walks to set the stage of Ismael Hernandez. The sophomore delivered a two-run single to give Hancock the lead for good at 3-2. Rudd and Tristen Gutierrez followed with RBI-singles to cap the five-run inning to give the Bulldogs a 5-2 advantage.

Hancock added to its lead in the fourth when Shusterich ripped a two-out, two-run double to plate Pearce and Ray to make it a 7-2 game. The Bulldogs erupted for four more in the seventh when Rudd hit a two-run double and Gutierrez followed with a run-scoring single to build a 10-2 lead. Pearce later hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Gutierrez with Hancock's 11th run of the game.

The Bulldogs finished with nine hits and drew eight walks. Rudd, Gutierrez and Tani had two hits apiece. Rudd drove in three, while Shusterich, Gutierrez, and Hernandez had 2 RBI each. Pearce and Ray both scored two times.

Shusterich earned the win on the hill with five innings of work. He allowed three hits, two runs, issued one walk, and struck out three. Nathan Alcantar allowed one hit in two shutout innings of relief. Slim Lopez threw a scoreless eighth inning, while Alex Castellanos struck out one in a scoreless ninth innings. The four Hancock pitchers allowed just four hits and struck out seven.

Lima had three of Oxnard's hits. He went 3-for-3 with 2 RBI and home run.

Winners of their first three meetings this season, the Bulldogs return home to host Oxnard on Tuesday, April 9, with first pitch at 2:30 PM.