Baseball Picks Up Three Wins at Annual Spring Classic

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball team picked up three wins at the annual AHC Spring Classic, which featured a number of highly competitive teams from across the region facing off at three local venues from April 5th through April 7th. | COMPLETE RESULTS

Offensive production was booming for the Bulldogs (21-11), who struggled to find production in the later part of March, as the squad registered an impressive 29 runs through three games. Isaiah Hernandez led the squad with a .615 on-base percentage on the week after going 5-for-10 at the plate and being walked three times. Gavin Long also provided a steady presence in the box by going 6-for-13 along with having three walks, zero strikeouts, six RBIs, and five runs credited in his stat line on the week.  

 The Bulldogs will continue non-conference play by traveling to Pasadena City College on Tuesday, April 11th, before hosting the Lancers on April 13th. 

GAME ONE: AHC 7, CYPRESS 6 | BOX SCORE

Cypress College (20-8), who entered the week ranked at No. 5 in the latest CCCBCA Poll for the southern division, struck early in the event opener after scoring a pair of runs in the first frame. Tommy Kendlinger pushed the home squad ahead in the second after driving in three runs with a double to left-center, but the Chargers quickly responded with a two-run shot over the right field fence in the third. 

Hancock managed to build some separation in the fourth with a three-run rally, sparked by an RBI single from Hernandez. Elijah Pascual matched the effort by Hernandez in the next at-bat before Long drove both runners home with a double to end the scoring string. Cypress plated one run on a wild pitch in the sixth, but Brayan Nunez returned the deficit to two with an RBI single in the seventh. Cypress threatened a comeback after scoring once in the eighth but fell short after a solid showing on the mound from Anthony Lopez led to limited opportunities down the stretch.

Cooper Bagby picked up his seventh with of the season after starting on the bump. He struck out three batters while surrendering as many earned runs and scattering seven hits through five frames. Lopez collected his third save of the year with three strikeouts and one earned run on two hits through the final three innings. 

GAME TWO: AHC 14, FRESNO CITY 7 | BOX SCORE

Hancock pulled off a major upset on day two after thumping the No. 2 ranked team in the northern division in decisive fashion. Fresno City (22-7) briefly led after scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame but saw the lead quickly disappear after the Bulldogs posted nine unanswered runs through the first three innings of action. Niko Pecskovszky sparked the scoring frenzy with a double to left-center that plated two, while Nunez drove in one after sending a single up the middle. Long and Keelor Loveridge combined for three RBIs in the second with a pair of RBIs. 

Long came through once more for the home crew in the third with an RBI single that sparked a six-run streak. Loveridge, Luke Wenzel, and Hernandez added to the effort with RBI singles while Long managed to find his way home after an error by the Rams. Fresno chipped away at the deficit with a three-run effort in the top of the sixth frame, but the Bulldogs responded by scoring twice in the bottom of the inning after Nunez and Pecskovszky drove in one run each. Scoring closed for both sides in the eighth frame when the Rams managed to squeak two runs across the plate after a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch.

Nick Brown was credited with his fifth win on the mound after as many innings of work. The Bakersfield native struck out three batters and surrendered just one earned run after scattering six hits.  

GAME THREE: AHC 8, CERRITOS 2 | BOX SCORE

Both squads registered two runs apiece to open day three after Cerritos (8-21) used a double to right-center to plate a pair while Long and Loveridge drove in one each with RBI singles. Elijah Pascual found his way home after a fielder's choice in the third before L. Wenzel scored on an error in the fourth. Long picked up a pair of RBIs in the sixth after reaching first on an error before eventually scoring on a wild pitch at the end of the frame. Jesse Conrad closed out the scoring with an RBI single to center field in the seventh. 

Nate Wenzel earned both the start and the win after a seven-inning showing on the rubber. He punched out eight batters while allowing one earned run on four hits.