Walk-Off Home Run From Joyce Delivers 4-3 Win in 11 Innings Over First Place Oxnard

Sophomore catcher Riley Joyce hit two home runs, including a walk-off blast in the bottom of the eleventh inning to deliver a stunning 4-3 win for the Allan Hancock College baseball team over first place Oxnard on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs improved to 8-12 in Western State Conference play and 12-19 for the season. Oxnard fell to 13-5 in conference and 22-7 overall.

Joyce finished with three hits, all for extra bases, and two RBI to lead a 10-hit attack for the Bulldogs. Zach Lampreia added two hits and one RBI.

Joyce got the Bulldogs on the board first with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning against Oxnard starting pitcher Oscar Sandoval. The Bulldogs added another run in the fifth when Lampreia delivered a two-run single to drive home Colton Studebaker, who had singled earlier in the frame.

Hancock starting pitcher John Thomas cruised for six innings, untill he got into trouble in the seventh inning. He was replaced after he allowed back-to-back singles and committed an error. Chance Miranda entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs. All three runners scored, one on a single, one when he hit a batter with the bags loaded and the third on a fielder's choice.

Thomas allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits over seven innings. The sophomore walked one and struck out two. Miranda cruised the rest of the game and threw four shutout innings. He allowed two hits and two walks. He recorded four strikeouts and earned the win in relief. 

The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when Joyce tripled with two outs and nobody on base. Isaiah Ramos reached on an erroy by the second baseman that allowed Joyce to score the tying run.

The teams exchanged zeroes in the ninth and tenth innings until the eleventh when Joyce led off the home half with a blast over the fence for his team-leading third home run of the season.

The Bulldogs host West Hills Coalinga in a non-conference game on Tuesday, April 14, at 2:30 p.m. Hancock beat West Hills 4-2 last month on the road.