Hancock Softball Hosts Riverside Saturday in Home Opener

The softball team opened the 2017 season with three dominant wins on the road where the Bulldogs outscored their opponents by a combined score of 42-3. Hancock will open the home portion of its schedule at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, February 4, vs. Riverside. The first 50 fans will receive a free Bulldog visor.

Hancock opened the season with a 10-1 win in five innings at L.A. Valley. Sophomore shortstop Larrissa Ostrander (Santa Clara HS) and second baseman Maggie Dasis (Righetti HS) each had two hits and scored two runs. Dasis had 2 RBI and drew two walks. Freshman third baseman Nakaila Fuggs (Righetti HS) walked twice, scored three times, and stole two bases. Sophomore Shannon Peterson (Santa Clara HS) earned the win by throwing three innings of one-run ball. Freshman Bailey Killough (Arroyo Grande HS) threw the final two innings and struck out five. Overall, the two combined on a one-hitter with nine strikeouts.

The Bulldogs traveled south and swept a doubleheader from San Diego City College 11-0 in six innings and 21-2 in five innings. In the opener, Killough threw a no-hitter with six strikeouts. The freshman carried a perfect game into the sixth when a batter reached on catcher's interference. Hancock registered 13 hits in the opener behind three hits and three runs scored from freshman outfielder Isabella Partida (St. Joseph HS). Dasis, Ostrander, and Myranda Morales (Pioneer Valley HS) had two hits each. Morales and Peterson each drove in two runs. In the second game, Hancock outhit San Diego 17-3 and took advantage of seven San Diego errors. Morales, Fuggs, and Ostrander had three hits apiece Ostrander had 4 RBI, Dasis drove in three runs. The first three hitters in the lineup, Ostrander, Fuggs, and Dasis, each scored three times. Twelve Bulldogs scored at least one run, and nine had at least one hit. Peterson went the distance in the circle. She allowed three hits and walked one in five innings. Both of the runs she allowed were unearned.

Three games into the season, Dasis is hitting .600 with seven runs, four stolen bases, and 6 RBI; Ostrander is hitting .583 with three triples, 5 RBI, and six runs; Fuggs has scored seven times and it hitting .333; Morales is hitting .625 with 4 RBI; and Partida is hitting .800. Killough and Peterson have a combined 0.44 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 16 innings. They've allowed just four hits and walked two between them.

Riverside started the season Tuesday with a 10-8 win at Chaffey. Freshman catcher Aeriel Carlson had 3 RBI in the opener, while Megan Cartwright had two hits and scored three times. Pitcher Laura Mendez hit a home run and earned the win by throwing the first three innings. The Tigers are hosting Mt. San Antonio, the No. 7 team in the State Preseason Poll, on Thursday.

Last year, Hancock fell 6-5 and 10-4 to Riverside.