Bulldogs Open WSC Play with Oxnard Sweep

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball program opened Western State Conference play with a sweep of Oxnard in a home doubleheader event on Thursday evening.

The sweep extends the active win streak to five for the Bulldogs (7-3, 2-0 WSC) while Oxnard drops to 4-6 overall (0-2 WSC) on the season. 

Travis Welker and Jacob Ruley headlined the day at the plate for the Bulldogs. Welker went 5-for-9 at the plate while tallying two runs and six RBIs. Ruley collected five RBIs, three runs, and notched one triple en route to a 4-for-7 showing.

GAME ONE: HANCOCK 13, OXNARD 1

Hancock took the lead early, notching a trio of unanswered runs through the first three frames. The Condors recorded their lone run of the contest in the top of the 4th inning, but the Bulldogs responded with an eight-run rally in the bottom of the frame. Bats got hot in the bottom of the 4th, led by a pair of doubles from Joey Freitas and Evan Kling. Hancock closed out the contest with two additional runs in the 6th inning after a single from Welker plated a pair of baserunners.

Trevor Garcia (3-0) collected the win on the bump after punching out seven batters and surrendering one earned run through six innings of work. Nick Ahedo also made an appearance on the rubber to close the contest in the final frame. 

GAME TWO: HANCOCK 10, OXNARD 5

The Bulldogs jumped ahead early in the nightcap, scoring their first run of the game in the 2nd inning after a single by Jacob Ruley plated one. Ruley collected a pair of RBIs in the 4th frame before being plated by Welker just one batter later. Hancock rattled off another trio of runs in the 5th inning after a bases-loaded walk and a double from Parker Haskell scored two. Oxnard cut the deficit with three runs in the top of the 6th, but Ruley responded with a triple in the bottom of the inning and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Both teams put up two runs apiece across the final two innings.

Vance Serrano scattered three hits, punched out three batters, and surrendered zero runs through 4.2 innings of work but did not factor into the final decision as Lucas Earle collected the win on the bump.

UP NEXT:

The Bulldogs are set to return to action on Saturday, May 1st, with a return trip to Oxnard. The doubleheader event will open with game one at 12 PM, followed by game two set for approximately 3 PM.