Baseball Completes Comeback Against Cuesta

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball team kept the dream of a conference title alive with a comeback victory over Cuesta College at John Osborne Field on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs erased a seven-run deficit en route to the 13-7 win with all 13 tallies coming in the final three frames. | BOX SCORE

Hancock and Cuesta move back onto a three-way tie for the top spot in the Western State Conference (North) standings after Saturday's contest. Both teams have three league contests remaining in the regular season slate while Santa Barbara, the other member of the tie, has four games to go this week. 

Cuesta (21-14-1, 14-7 WSC) jumped out early with a three-run rally in the opening frame before extending the lead by plating four runners in the third. Both teams were scoreless through the fourth and fifth innings before the bats got hot for the Bulldogs in the sixth. Carson Gomes changed the momentum of the game with a single through the right side after stepping in to pinch hit with two outs. Tommy Kendlinger loaded the bases with a single to the same location in the next at-bat. Jeremey Camarena drove one run home with a single to left field before Elijah Bobo plated three with a triple to center. Isaiah Hernandez rounded out the scoring frenzy with a single to center field before the frame came to a close. 

In the seventh, Gavin Long scored after an error by the Cougars before Camaerna's double down the right field line scored two for the Bulldogs (25-12, 14-7 WSC). Long pushed the home squad ahead in the following frame with a two-run shot over the right field fence, marking his second homer of the season. Jesse Conrad, Kendlinger, and Camarena each drove in one run to round out the scoring opportunities for both sides. 

Anthony Lopez secured his fourth win of the season on the bump after tossing the final six innings of action. He struck out three batters and scattered as many hits while shutting out the Cougars. Luke Kovach, who earned the start, and Lucas Earle both appeared on the mound but did not factor into the final decision.

The Bulldogs are set to return to action on Tuesday, April 25th, with a road trip to Oxnard College. They will then host Santa Barbara City College on Thursday, April 27th, in a high-stakes showdown at John Osborne Field.