Baseball Sweeps Pierce in Conference Opening Series

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball season opened the Western State Conference slate by sweeping LA Pierce College in the three-game series, which came to an end on Sunday afternoon. 

Gavin Long led Hancock at the plate on the week after going 7-for-12 en route to a .583 batting average. The Santa Maria native recorded seven RBIs and three doubles while also registering two stolen bases. Elijah Pascual was next with a 6-for-14 performance, which included three RBIs, while Brayan Nunez plated four runners on five hits. 

The Bulldogs (9-5) are set to continue league action with a three-game series against Moorpark College, which now has a shifted schedule due to rain. Hancock will now host the Raiders on Thursday (3/2) and Saturday (3/4) before traveling to Moorpark on Sunday (3/5).  Single-game tickets for the upcoming home events can be purchased here. As per usual, the ticketing gate will be cashless and fans are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets prior to arrival, but credit/debit card purchases can be made at the gate.

GAME ONE: AHC 13, PIERCE 5 | BOX SCORE

The Bulldogs trailed early in the conference opener before using three big innings to put Pierce away. Hancock struck first with an RBI single from Zach Martinez in the top of the second, but the hosting crew responded with a four-run rally in the bottom of the frame to take the lead. Offensive production briefly stalled for both sides until an RBI triple by Brayan Nunez sparked a string of eight unanswered runs through the fifth and sixth innings. Gavin Long and Elijah Pascual each drove in one run in the fifth before Pascual scored on a wild pitch to close the frame. In the sixth, Bridger Coleman earned an RBI on a bases-loaded walk and made his way home after scoring on a passed ball while Long drove in two runs with his second of three doubles of the day. Both teams plated runners in the final frame as Nunez and Long registered two RBIs apiece and the Brahmas scored one on a sacrifice fly.

Cooper Bagby was credited with the win after striking out seven batters through five innings of action. Nate Wenzel struck out three batters and scattered three hits through the final four innings to earn the save.  

GAME TWO: AHC 7, PIERCE 5 | BOX SCORE

Hancock used late-game heroics to pull off the road win in game two after trailing through most of the contest. Isaiah Hernandez and Brayan Nunez put the visiting crew ahead after driving in a pair of runs in the third, but the hosting Brahmas surged ahead after totaling four runs through the next three frames. Elijah Pascual cut the deficit to one after making his way home in the seventh by capitalizing on an error by Pierce. Bridger Coleman tied the contest and sparked a late rally with a deep double that scored one before Gavin Long and Keelor Loveridge registered one RBI each. Pierce responded with a shot over the fence in the bottom of the eight before Coleman drove in the final run of the contest with his second double of the day in the ninth. 

Christian Dijkman was tagged with the win after 2.2 innings of work while Bradley Waite collected the save as the closer. 

GAME THREE: AHC 9, PIERCE 0 | BOX SCORE

Gavin Long put the home squad on the board with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored one in the opening frame before Elijah Pascual drove in two runners to close the inning. An error by the Brahmas allowed a pair of runners to score in the bottom of the fourth before a sacrifice fly to left by Niko Pecskovszy plated another in the fifth. Bridger Coleman drove in one run in the sixth, while Dean Samuel and Pecskovszy tallied one RBI apiece to round out the scoring in the eighth. 

Luke Kovach led the Bulldogs en route to his first win of the season on the mound in the series-ending shutout after scattering just two hits while striking out 13 batters through six innings of work. Dylan Pavletich and Elijah Bobo also made appearances on the bump but did not factor into the final decision.