Hancock Baseball Ranked No. 19 in SoCal Preseason Poll
The Allan Hancock College baseball team is ranked No. 19 in the Southern California Preseason Poll issued by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association. The 2017 season will mark the 16th season for Chris Stevens as head coach of Hancock. The Bulldogs are coming off a 19-17 overall record that included an 11-13 mark in Western State Conference play. Eight players from that team earned scholarships to play at four-year universities.
Hancock's 2017 pitching staff will feature All-Conference honorable mention Walker Armstrong, who enjoyed a strong run during the middle of his freshman season. The right-hander appeared in 14 games with the Bulldogs, including 10 starts. He went 3-7 with a 3.41 ERA. The St. Joseph High School graduate struck out 48 and walked just 17 over 71 1/3 innings. In one stretch, Armstrong threw a complete game against Oxnard in a 3-1 victory, and followed that up with eight-shutout innings of three-hit ball against Porterville. Left-handed pitcher Jason Terrones, a Lompoc High School graduate, will also return. He went 3-1 with one save and a 3.54 ERA over 20 1/3 innings for the Bulldogs.
Santa Ynez High School graduate Kyle von Tillow returns for his sophomore season. The outfielder hit .255 with eight doubles and seven RBI with the Bulldogs.
Cypress sits atop the SoCal Preseason Poll, followed by Saddleback and Glendale. Hancock is one of four Western State Conference – North teams in the top 20. Cuesta is ranked sixth, Santa Barbara is No. 17 and Oxnard is No. 18.
The Bulldogs open the 2017 season at home against L.A. Pierce on January 27 at 2 p.m.