Bulldogs Take Series over Santa Barbara After Two Weekend Wins

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball team took the three-game series over Santa Barbara City College with a pair of weekend wins at John Osborne Field. The Bulldogs cruised to victory in game one with an 11-4 mark before edging SBCC in a 2-1 decision on Sunday. 

With the wins, Hancock moves to 13-10 overall and holds a 5-7 record against Western State Conference foes, while the Vaqueros fall to 13-9 on the season and 6-3 in the league. 

The Bulldogs are set to return to action on Tuesday, March 22nd, at home to open a three-game series against Ventura College. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 PM.

GAME TWO: ALLAN HANCOCK - 11, SANTA BARBARA - 4 | BOX SCORE

Jacob Steels got the scoring started for the Bulldogs in game two after sending his first home run of the season over the centerfield fence in the opening frame. Vander Hodges added another run in the second after scoring on an error before the Vaqueros knotted the score with a pair of runs in the fifth. The home squad surged ahead in the bottom of the same frame after Evan Steinberger and Joey Freitas registered a pair of RBIs and Hodges plated one with a single. Freitas came through again in the bottom of the sixth after an RBI single sent one runner home before Kalub Ramirez scored on a wild pitch. Jacob Ruley drove another run in during the 7th after a triple to left-center before finding his way home after another wild pitch. Santa Barbara closed out the scoring for both sides in the top of the eighth. 

Nate Wenzel collected his fifth win of the season on the bump earning the start and tossing six innings. He sat down eight batters and surrendered two earned runs after scattering six hits. Isaaz Baez, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Bradley Waite also made brief appearances on the rubber but did not factor into the final decision.  

GAME THREE: ALLAN HANCOCK - 2, SANTA BARBARA - 1 | BOX SCORE

The Bulldogs pulled off the win on Sunday by battling through a pitching duel in game three after striking out an incredible 22 batters in the contest. Luke Kovach sat down a career-high 14 batters through six innings, while also allowing just one earned run on two hits. Anthony Lopez was credited with the win on the rubber after striking out eight of the 10 batters he faced. 

Both teams scored one run in the third frame after the Vaqueros mustered an RBI single before Steels went the distance for his second homer of the season. Offensive production sputtered for both sides through the next five innings until Freitas sent the game-winning run home in the bottom of the eight after a single through the right side.