Hancock Sends off Sophomores with Doubleheader Split with L.A. Mission

Allan Hancock College sophomore Crystal Gonzalez homered and drove in three, while Mackenzie Caspian drove in two more to lead the Hancock softball team to a 9-1 win in five innings over L.A. Mission in the final home games of their Bulldog career. Hancock dropped the first game of the doubleheader 4-3 to the Eagles. The doubleheader marked the final home games for four Hancock sophomores: Sabrina Ornelas, Zaiden Bakke, Caspian, and Gonzales. The Bulldogs finished the day 11-21 on the season, while the L.A. Mission Eagles left Santa Maria 18-21.

Freshman Natalya Fuggs opened the scoring in game two with a two-run home run in the second inning, her first of the season. Gonzalez later ripped a two-out, run-scoring double to give Hancock the early 3-0 lead.

The Bulldogs broke out for five in the fourth. Gonzalez and Caspian each delivered two-run singles, while another run scored on a Mission error to give Hancock an 8-0 advantage. L.A. Mission managed one in the top of the fifth, but Gonzalez regained the advantage in the bottom half with a solo home run, her third of the season, to end the game by virtue of the eight-run rule.

Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Jayden Andrade and Siana Castillo had two hits apiece, while Fuggs and Caspian both drove in a pair of runs in the second game.

Freshman Shaylyn Coy earned the win in the second game. She allowed one run and four hits, while striking out seven Eagles.

Ornelas had two of Hancock's seven hits in the opener. The sophomore right fielder went 2-for-3 with an RBI and stole a base.

The Eagles scored four in the second off pitcher Alexis Porter, after she loaded the bases by hitting two hitters and walking another. One run scored on a wild pitch, another on a RBI-single, and the final two on a Hancock error. Hancock cut the deficit in half in the third when Fuggs and Jayden Andrade singled. Gonzalez ripped a RBI-double to score Fuggs, and Ornelas followed with a single that drove in Andrade.

The game stayed 4-2 until the bottom of the seventh when Adiana Pacheco singled, stole second, moved to third on a fly ball, and scored on a grounder off the bat of Fuggs. However, the rally ended there and a one-run loss.

The Bulldogs play their final game of the season Tuesday, April 23 at Oxnard. First pitch will be at 2:30 PM. The Condors are 7-7 in league and 14-18-1 overall, while Hancock is 6-9 in WSC action.