Softball Splits Home Showing Against Citrus

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College softball team split a doubleheader at home against Citrus College in a non-conference showdown on Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs now hold an overall record of 2-7 while Citrus stands at 6-4 on the season.

Up next for AHC is another home doubleheader on February 23rd against Porterville College. New dates for previously postponed games against Orange Coach College (2/17) and West Hills College - Coalinga (2/20) have yet to be set. 

GAME ONE: CIT 6, AHC 3 | BOX SCORE

Both programs scored in the opening frame of game one with Citrus using a double to plate one before Delayna Quezada secured an RBI with a sacrifice fly to right. Riley Vannasap put the Bulldogs ahead in the second after capitalizing on an error by the Owls, but the visitors knotted the score in the fourth. 

Citrus regained the lead in the fifth with a deep double that plated three, followed by an RBI single from Jonessa Marquez in the bottom of the inning. The Owls scored the final run for either side in the sixth after a wild pitch. 

Quezada (1-5) suffered the loss in the circle after a complete game. She struck out one batter but was charged with five earned runs on 10 hits while walking four batters. 

GAME TWO: AHC 9, CIT 8 | BOX SCORE

The visitors jumped out early in the nightcap with a three-run effort to open the game, but Hailey Pasillas and Bella Gonzalez cut the difference with a pair of RBIs in the second. Hancock took the lead in the third after a Citrus error allowed two runners to cross the plate. The game was tied back up in the fourth after Citrus used two singles to score a pair before Kaylee Dolores earned two RBIs of her own. 

Teams continued to exchange runs down the stretch as Quezada scored on an error in the fifth before the Owls plated one in the top of the sixth. The Bulldogs took the lead for the final time in the bottom of the inning when singles from Riley Dulay and Vannasap each plated one. The Owls threatened extra innings after a sacrifice fly cut the deficit back to one, but the tying run was stranded on first after a ground out to the pitcher closed the contest. 

Danica Black (2-2) secured the win in the circle after twirling a full seven innings. She struck out one batter and walked two while surrendering eight earned runs on 13 hits.