Fullerton Snaps Hancock's Winning Streak 14-11

A six-run sixth inning by Fullerton College was too much to overcome, as the Allan Hancock College baseball team dropped a 14-11 decision to the Hornets on Friday afternoon in Fullerton. 

Fullerton improved to 8-3 after halting the Bulldogs' seven-game winning streak. Hancock dropped to 9-2. The Bulldogs close out the three-game road trip on Saturday at noon at Cypress. Hancock upset the preseason No.1 ranked team on Thursday 4-3 in 11 innings for its first win over Cypress in seven tries since 2010. 

Hancock trailed 6-0 after two innings, but cut the deficit in half in the third when Felipe Gonzalez drew a walk with the bases loaded to drive in Evan Aguilar. Brook Fages hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Jacob Witkowski to make it 6-2. Ryan Bendele singled to left for one of his four hits on the day to drive in Ryan Welker and make it a 6-3 game.  The Hornets carried a 7-3 lead into the top of the sixth when Hancock struck for five runs. Zach Nyman hit a 2-run single to right field. Ryan Welker doubled to right to drive home Roger Guillen and Nyman to tie it at 7-7. Cameron Ketchen grounded out to first to allow Witkowski to score to give Hancock its first lead of the game 8-7.

Fullerton's decisive sixth inning rally started with two outs and nobody on against Jesse Clingman. Jose Rojas doubled and Troy Prasert walked. Oliver Jacks grounded out to Clingman, who's throwing error extended the inning. James Smith singled in the tying run, while Ricky Perez walked to force in another run. Dakota Wix reached on an error from shortstop Jacob Witkowski that allowed two more runs to score to make it 11-8 Fullerton.  Two more runs scored in the inning to cap the six-run frame that made it 13-8. 

After Fullerton added another run in the seventh, Hancock got three back in the eighth on a single to left by Witkowski that drove in Aguilar. The left fielder made an errant throw on the play to let Nyman score and Witkowski to advance to third. Ketchen drove him in two batters later with a sacrifice fly to right. 

Hancock put two runners on with two outs in the ninth, but Aguilar grounded out to end the game. 

Bendele led Hancock's offensive attack with a 4 for 5 effort with one RBI. Witkowski went 3 for 4 and scored three times. Nyman went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Welker and Ketchen each drove in two runs. Hancock finished with 11 hits, while Fullerton recorded 13.

Clingman took the loss to fall to 0-1. He allowed two hits, two walks and struck out one in 1 1/3 innings. He was tagged with six runs, though they were all unearned.

Sophomore Mark Baker (Nipomo High School) started for Hancock and allowed six earned runs and five hits in 1 1/3 innings. He walked three and did not record a strikeout. Zack Skipper allowed one run in three innings of relief of Baker. He walked four and fanned one. Henry Fienga (Cabrillo High) threw the final 2 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits and one run with one strikeout.

The Bulldog hurlers walked 10 batters combined and struck out three.

Nico Casteneda earned the win in relief for the Hornets, despite giving up four runs and four hits in his only inning of work.