Baseball: Ruley Pushes Bulldogs Past Pierce with Late Double in Wild Win

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball team completed a late comeback effort to top Los Angeles Pierce College, 13-12, at John Osborne Field on Tuesday afternoon. | BOX SCORE

The Brahmas (6-22, 3-13 WSC) jumped out early with a three-run showing in the opening frame and extended their lead by adding one more in the third before Hancock could get on the board. Kalub Ramirez drove in the first run for the Bulldogs (15-14, 6-10 WSC) with a single to left-center, followed by a pair of two tallies in favor of the home squad after mental pitching errors. Jacob Ortega sparked a seven-run rally in the fourth by going the distance over the left fence for his second homer of the season. Later in the inning, Joey Freitas added an RBI with a bases-loaded walk before a single down the rightfield line from Caelen Dalman plated two. Jacob Ruley closed out the scoring effort by sending three runners home after a deep triple to center. 

Pierce chipped away at the deficit and regained the lead after posting eight unanswered runs through the next three innings, but heads-up baserunning from Dylan Howell brought the Bulldogs within one at the end of the seventh. Luke Wenzel evened the odds with a two-out double down the leftfield line that plated one, bringing the game to a 12-12 tie. Ruley came through once more for Hancock during the next at-bat by driving in the winning run with a double to left-center. Luke Kovach appeared on the mound as the closer and earned his third save of the season after forcing a ground out and striking out two batters to end the game.

Christian Dijkman earned the start but did not factor into the final decision after a brief 0.2 inning showing. Four other Bulldogs made short appearances on the mound before Lucas Earle stepped up in the eighth. He collected his second win of the year after striking out one and walking one while surrendering no hits. 

The Bulldogs will be back in action for game two of the LA Pierce series at home on Thursday, April 7th. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 PM on John Osborne Field.