Baseball Sweeps in WSC North Action

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College baseball team picked up three wins last week against Western State Conference (WSC) North foes. Hancock moved to an overall record of 20-17 with an 11-10 mark in league play, placing them fifth in the standings heading into the final week of regular season action. 

The Bulldogs will travel to Oxnard College on April 22nd before closing the season out at home against Santa Barbara City College (Apr. 24) and Ventura College (Apr. 25).

APRIL 17: AHC 10, LAPC 9 | BOX SCORE

Hancock capped off a wild back-and-forth contest with a walk-off win in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat LA Pierce 10-9 in a Western State Conference matchup on Wednesday.

Freshman Josue Garcia was a spark plug for the Bulldogs, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two walks, and three runs scored. Fellow freshman Matt Kovach continued his hot streak at the plate, blasting a home run and driving in two while drawing a pair of walks.

After falling behind 8-3 through the top of the third, AHC steadily chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the fifth and another three in the seventh to tie the game at 9-9. Andrew Sandoval, who finished the day with a 3-for-6 showing from the leadoff spot, used an RBI single to left in the bottom of the ninth to knot the score. Hancock's persistence paid off in the 10th, when Isaac Imamura wrapped things up with a walk-off single up the middle that plated the winning run.

On the mound, the Bulldogs used a committee approach with Austin Moccardini earning the win in relief. He struck out three batters and surrendered just two earned runs on six hits after 8.1 innings. 

The home squad made several key defensive plays late, including a 6-4-3 double play in the top of the 10th to stymie a potential go-ahead rally for the Brahmas.

APRIL 18: AHC 7, MC 1 | BOX SCORE

Powered by timely hitting and strong pitching, the visiting Bulldogs secured a 7-1 road victory over Moorpark on Friday.

Hancock wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, plating three runs in the first two innings to establish early momentum. Freshman third baseman Colin Johnston delivered a key blow with a two-run triple in the second inning and finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The Bulldogs struck again in the sixth and broke things open with a three-run seventh, highlighted by RBI doubles from M. Kovach and Shane Heriford. The Raiders scored their lone run in the second after a bases-loaded walk. 

On the mound, Jaiden Turner turned in another standout performance after going seven innings. The sophomore right-hander struck out nine and walked only three while scattering four hits en route to his sixth win of the season. Liam Taft pitched the final two innings in relief, recording three strikeouts and allowing no runs to close out the game.

Offensively, the Bulldogs totaled nine hits with extra-base knocks from Johnston, Kovach, and Heriford. A. Sandoval added two hits and two stolen bases from the leadoff spot, while J. Garcia reached base three times and scored once.

Defensively, Hancock played clean baseball with just one error and turned a double play to help keep Moorpark's offense quiet. The Raiders managed only six hits and left nine runners on base.

APRIL 19: AHC 8, CC 4 | BOX SCORE

Coach Stevens' squad surged late to capture a pivotal 8-4 victory over Cuesta on Saturday afternoon at John Osborne Field. 

After falling behind early, Hancock stayed within striking distance and broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning. The Bulldogs pounded out 13 hits overall and received key offensive contributions from several parts of the lineup.

Freshman Cesar Garcia delivered a standout performance at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. I. Imamura added a pair of hits, drove in a run, and scored twice, while M. Kovach reached base all four times he came to the plate and crossed the plate four times. S. Heriford and J. Garcia each chipped in with two RBIs, including a clutch double from Garcia in the fourth that tied the game at 3-3.

Ryan Cronk went the distance on the mound for Hancock after tossing a complete game that featured seven strikeouts while scattering 12 hits and allowing four earned runs across nine frames. He worked around base traffic throughout the game and shut the visiting Cougars down in the final five frames to preserve the lead.