Bulldogs Bite Defending State Champs and Top Ranked Cypress 10-2

A six-run eighth inning and another solid effort from Ryan Bower contributed to the Allan Hancock College baseball team's 10-2 win at Cypress on Saturday. The Bulldogs knocked off the defending state champions and current top ranked team in California for the second time in three days.

Hancock, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped on Friday, improved to 10-2 on the season. The Bulldogs were ranked 15^th in the Southern California Regional preseason poll.

Ron Regalado, inserted into the cleanup spot as the designated hitter, went 3 for 4 for the Bulldogs. Catcher Ryan Welker went 3 for 6 with 2 RBI and a double. Lompoc High School graduate Evan Aguilar went 2 for 5. Aguilar, Welker, Regalado and Felipe Gonzalez each scored two runs.

Bower allowed single runs in the first and third innings. He scattered nine hits and four walks over seven solid innings. The current Southern California Pitcher of the Week struck out five Chargers and improved to 4-0 on the season. Matt Shackley pitched the final two shutout innings of relief to close out Hancock's eighth win in its last nine games. Shackley did not allow a base runner and struck out two.

Regalado got the Bulldogs on the board in the first with a base hit that drove in Gonzalez. Cypress tied it with a run in the bottom half. Hancock regained the lead in the third when Regalado scored on an error by the shortstop off a ball hit by Ryan Bendele. Jacob Perry, the Cypress shortstop, made three errors on the day. Third baseman Matt Tietz also made three errors for the defending state champs.

After Cypress nodded the game with a run in the bottom of the third, the game remained tied 2-2 until the sixth, when Welker delivered a base hit to plate Aguilar, who led off the inning with a single.

Hancock extended its 3-2 lead with a six-run eighth inning. After Aguilar reached on an error by Tietz, Jacob Witkowski singled. Welker followed with a double to score Aguilar and move Witkowski to third. Gonzalez delivered a RBI-single to make it a 5-2. Welker later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2. Regalado singled to move Gonzalez over to second. Brooks Fages followed with a ground ball to third that was misplayed by Tietz to let another run score making it 7-2. Bendele followed with a double to drive home Regalado and make it 8-2 Bulldogs. The scoring in the frame ended when Zach Nyman reached on a fielder's choice allowing Kyle Smith to cross the plate and make it 9-2 Bulldogs.

Hancock added another run in the ninth when Troy Prober pinch hit for Regalado and the Righetti High School graduate knocked a base hit to score Welker.

Hancock compiled 13 hits, while Cypress finished with nine.

The Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The Bulldogs welcome College of the Canyons to John Osborne Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Hancock is 6-0 at home this season. They'll play at Canyons in Valencia on Thursday, Feb.27, to complete the mini two-game series.