Bulldogs Fall 9-3 to No.1 Orange Coast to Open Super Regionals
May 9, 2014

Bulldogs Fall 9-3 to No.1 Orange Coast to Open Super Regionals

Recap Box Score

The Allan Hancock College baseball team finds itself in a familiar situation after the opening game of its Super Regional best-of-three-game series at Orange Coast on Friday. The Bulldogs lost 9-3 to the top seeded Pirates to set up a must-win game on Saturday to keep their season alive.

Hancock dropped to 24-15-1, while the Pirates improved to 30-9. 

The Bulldogs fell in their opener last weekend at Palomar 9-2 before they defeated No.4 Palomar twice on Saturday to advance to the Super Regionals for the first time since 2010.

Hancock collected 10 hits, behind two apiece from Ryan Welker, Ryan Bendele and Cameron Ketchen. Evan Aguilar, Bendele and Jacob Witkowski had one RBI each. Witkowski, a sophomore shortstop, clubbed his first home run of the season to lead off the seventh inning.

The Bulldogs struck first with a series of three straight, two-out singles in the second inning. Zach Nyman singled and stole second, moved to third on a infield single by Roger Guillen. Nyman scored on an infield hit deep into the hole at shortstop to plate Nyman with the first run of the game.
Hancock starting pitcher Nathan Thompson cruised through three innings. But the sophomore left-hander allowed five runs in the fourth inning when he walked three, allowed two hits. He also balked in a run during the frame that left Orange Coast in front 5-1. The Bulldogs cut into the deficit in the seventh when Witkowksi clubbed a home run over the left field wall to make it a 5-2 game. Welker followed with a single to right-center, moved to second on a ground ball and scored on a single down the left field line from Bendele to make it a two-run game.

Orange Coast regained the momentum against the Hancock bullpen in the bottom half. Outfielder Cody Bruder clubbed a grand slam against reliever Jesse Posey, his third long ball of the season, to give the Pirates at 9-3 advantage. Posey was the third Hancock pitcher of the inning. Freshman Troy Prober started the inning and Henry Fienga, who earned two wins last Saturday, walked the only batter he faced before he was replaced by Posey. 

Thompson was tagged with the loss after he allowed seven hits and five earned runs over five innings. He walked five and struck out four. He fell to 6-4 on the season. Cody Thompson walked the only two batters he faced. Prober allowed two hits and two runs, only one of which was earned over 1 1/3 innings with one strike out. Fienga was charged with one earned run. Posey threw 2/3 of an inning and allowed the grand slam. John Thomas threw a 1-2-3 eighth inning for the Bulldogs.

David Hill earned the win for Orange Coast to improve to 10-1. The right-hander scattered 10 hits and three earned runs. He walked two and struck out a pair in 6 1/3 innings.

The Bulldogs play a must-win game on Saturday at noon. A win sets up a third and final game on Sunday at 12 p.m., while a loss ends Hancock's season.