Chenault Fans 14 and Drives in Game-Winning Run in 2-1 8-Inning Win at Ventura, Hancock Extends Winning Streak to 24 After Doubleheader Sweep

(Ventura, CA) The Allan Hancock College softball team swept a doubleheader at Ventura College to extend its winning streak to 24 games on Tuesday, but it was not an easy task. The Bulldogs won the opener 9-0 behind freshman catcher Teanna Silveira's three RBI and a 15-strikeout effort by pitcher Katie Chenault. Hancock pulled out the second game 2-1 in eight innings to complete the sweep. Chenault struck out 14 and drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.

The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 12 in the state and sixth in the Southern California Regional, improved to 10-0 in Western State Conference play and 26-2-1 overall Ventura, which started the day in second place in the conference standings, dropped to 5-4 in conference and 12-18 overall.  9-0 and 2-1 in eight innings on Tuesday afternoon.

In the opener, Jessica Rothanzl hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning to score Michaela Valencia who led off the game with a single. The Bulldogs scored three more in the second, Judith Salazar scored on a Ventura error to make it 2-0. Silveira followed with her first RBI-single of the day to score Monique Hoobery and Love singled home Silveira two batters later to make it 3-0 Hancock.

Silveira added a RBI-single in the fourth inning to make it 5-0 Bulldogs. Back-to-back doubles by Rothanzl and Missy Regalado contributed to two Hancock runs in the fifth and a 7-0 advantage. Hancock added two more in the seventh on RBI-singles from Salazar and Silveira.

Hancock outhit the Pirates 12 to three in the opener. Silveira paced the Bulldogs with three hits, while Chenault and Salazar had two apiece.

In the second game, Hancock managed seven hits to Ventura's three. Monique Hoobery led the Bulldogs with two hits. Hancock scored in the top of the first of the second game when Regalado reached on an error by the Ventura third baseman that allowed Valencia to score from third. The sophomore second baseman led off the game with a walk, stole second base and moved to third on Rothanzl's basehit. Ventura tied it 1-1 in the fourth off a triple and a sacrifice fly. The game remained tied 1-1 until the top of the eighth inning when Rothanzl drew a one-out walk. Kayla Stevens entered the game as a pinch runner and moved to third on a bunt single by Regalado. With one out, Chenault hit a sacrifice to left field that allowed Stevens to tag up and score the game-winning run.

Chenault, who struck out 50 batters over 26 2/3 innings during Hancock's four wins over the weekend, struck out 15 Pirates in the opener. She allowed just three hits and walked two batters. In the second game, the sophomore struck out 14, scattered three hits and walked two. On the day, Chenault struck out 29 in 15 innings surrendering six hits and four walks. She improved her state-leading strikeout total to 306. She has struck out 10 or more batters in 20 games this season, including five out of the last six. The Righetti High School graduate led California with a program-record 370 strikeouts as a freshman.

Hancock plays at Moorpark on Thursday, April 2, at 2:30 p.m.