AHC Sweeps WSC Superlative Awards; 12 Bulldogs Earn All-Conference Honors

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - After a stellar 2021 regular season campaign, the No. 5 ranked Allan Hancock College baseball team garnered numerous Western State Conference (WSC) accolades and All-Conference honorees.

The All-Conference list featured 18 First Team athletes, 16 Second Team athletes, and 18 Honorable Mention selections. All postseason awards, including the superlative awards, were voted on by the coaches. AHC led the league with 12 All-Conference selections including five First Team, four Second Team, and three Honorable Mention honorees. Three Bulldogs were also tabbed as top defenders in the league after being named to the Gold Glove award list. 

Hancock's head coach, Chris Stevens, was recognized by his peers as the Coach of the Year after directing the Bulldogs to a conference-best .813 win percentage. Stevens, who is in his 20th season at the helm of the program, also received the distinction in 2003.

Matthew Gonzales was tabbed as the Pitcher of the Year after a phenomenal season. The righty product from Cabrillo High School collected three wins and one save on the mound while posting a 1.45 ERA through 37.1 innings of work. He finished the 2021 campaign with 36 strikeouts and surrendered just six earned runs after facing 130 batters.

Tavis Welker was named the Player of the Year in his final season with the AHC squad. The standout shortstop finished the season with a .369 batting average while notching five doubles, one home run, 10 stolen bases, and 20 RBIs. In the field, Welker totaled 64 assists and 41 putouts en route to a .963 fielding percentage. 

Welker and Gonzales were joined on the First Team roster by Jeff Ray (Infield), Jacob Ruley (Outfield), and Trevor Garcia (Pitcher). 

Ray posted a .344 batting average while recording 27 RBIs and six doubles on 21 hits. Ruley notched 16 RBIs, six doubles, and two triples after recording 25 hits and posting a .385 batting average. Garcia totaled 40 strikeouts on the mound and collected five wins this season while posting a 3.19 ERA through 36.2 innings. He also finished with a .385 batting average while collecting 7 RBIs and notching two doubles on 10 hits.

Jacob Ortega (First Base), Joey Freitas (Infield), Vance Serrano (Pitcher), and Lucas Earle (Relief Pitcher) were tabbed as Second Team honorees. Evan Kling (Catcher), Vander Hodges (Pitcher), and Parker Haskell (First Base) rounded out the award winners as Honorable Mention selections.

Jeff Ray, Travis Welker, and Jacob Ruley were also named to the list of Gold Glove award winners. 

To view the full 2021 WSC Baseball All-Conference list, please click here.