Bulldogs Beat Bakersfield 6-3 in Home Opener Behind Late Rally
February 10, 2015

Bulldogs Beat Bakersfield 6-3 in Home Opener Behind Late Rally

Recap Box Score

(Santa Maria, CA) A three-run eighth inning catapulted the Allan Hancock College baseball team to a 6-3 win in its home opener against Bakersfield on Tuesday afternoon. The victory snapped Hancock's five-game losing streak and improved the Bulldogs' record to 2-5. Bakersfield, which defeated Hancock 3-1 on Jan. 31, dropped to 4-3 overall.

The game-winning rally started with two outs and nobody on base when catcher Riley Joyce drew a walk. William Bierlein extended the inning with a single, and freshman EJ Morris, a St. Joseph High School graduate, singled home Joyce to give Hancock the lead for good 4-3.   Freshman Hunter Christensen came off the bench to deliver a clutch two-run single to score Bierlein and Morris to make it a 6-3 Hancock lead.
Santa Ynez High School graduate Colby Barrick, a freshman outfielder, led the Bulldogs with three singles. He led off the bottom of the first with a base hit and later scored the game's first run on a groundball by Bierlein. An error by the Bakersfield shortstop with two outs allowed Colton Studebaker to score to give Hancock a 2-0 lead after one behind Hancock starter Elijah Ortiz.

The Bulldogs made it a 3-0 game in the second when Barrick singled home Zach Lampreia, who drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a single from sophomore and Santa Maria native Angel Guillen.

Ortiz went five innings for Hancock and allowed five hits. He walked two and struck out two. He allowed three Bakersfield runs in the fourth inning. Matt Shackley threw the final four innings in relief to earn the win and even his record at 1-1. He allowed four hits and issued one walk to the Renegades. He also struck out one batter.

Hancock finished with eight hits led by a trio from Barrick. Five other Bulldogs, Bierlein, Morris, Christensen, Studebaker, Guillen, had one single apiece.

The Bulldogs continue their three-game home stand on Thursday, Feb. 12, against College of the Canyons. First pitch at John Osborne Field is at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs lost 13-2 last week to Canyons.