Torra Shines on Mound in Debut, Curiel Leads Red-Hot Bulldog Bats in 6-1 Win Over Cabrillo

Freshman pitcher Zach Torra struck out 10 in six brilliant innings, and Daniel Curiel collected a career-high four hits to lead the Bulldogs' 18-hit attack during the Allan Hancock College baseball team's 6-1 win over Cabrillo on Sunday afternoon at John Osborne Field. The Bulldogs stayed unbeaten and improved to 3-0 for the second time in three years. Cabrillo dropped to 1-2.

Torra, a Santa Ynez High School graduate, struck out 10, scattered three hits and allowed one unearned run in his Bulldog debut. The left-handed pitcher struck out the side in the second and fifth innings, and fanned two in the first and fourth innings. He issued three walks on his way to the victory. Phil Almanza threw two shutout innings of relief, and Dylan Maiden retired the side in order in the ninth to close out the victory. The three Hancock pitchers limited Cabrillo to five total hits.

Five Bulldogs enjoyed multi-hit games, led by Curiel who went 4-for-4 with 2 RBI and a sacrifice fly. Freshman first baseman Ismael Hernandez and catcher Reed Odland both went 3-for-4, while shortstop Quinntin Perez and left fielder Brian Dowell each pounded out two hits.

The Bulldogs took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the first. Cordell Bowie singled in Curiel, and Hernandez followed with a basehit to drive in Perez to cap the two-run first inning. Curiel and Perez laced singles to set the stage in the first.

Cabrillo scored an unearned run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to one run. The Bulldogs added to their lead in the fourth with Chad Jones singled home Hernandez, and Curiel hit a sacrifice fly to right allowing Odland to tag up and score from third to push the Hancock lead to 4-1. Run-scoring singles by Dowell in the fifth and Curiel in the sixth accounted for the Bulldogs' final two runs.

The Bulldogs will hit the road Thursday, February 2 for a game at Taft College. First pitch will be at 2 p.m. Taft is off to a 1-1 start.