Hancock Falls 3-2 to Canyons Despite Stellar Start by King

Despite a two-run double from Hunter Christensen and a stellar start from Kyle King, the Allan Hancock College baseball team dropped a 3-2 non-conference game to College of the Canyons on Thursday afternoon. Hancock fell to 4-4 overall and Canyons remained undefeated at 8-0. The Bulldogs open Western State Conference play on Saturday at Ventura College at 1 p.m.  

Hancock struck first in the fourth inning. Jacob Tonascia doubled to the center field gap. Wyatt Coll walked, as did third baseman Ryan Peinado. Christensen followed with a one-out flair down the rightfield line. Tonascia and Coll scored easily. Peinado tried to score all the way from first, but was thrown out at the plate.

Tonascia and Christensen had two hits apiece for the Bulldogs. Peinado had the other Hancock hit, a double.

King pitched into the seventh inning and left the game with Hancock leading 2-1. He allowed four hits and one run in six-plus innings. The left-handed sophomore walked two and struck out nine. His only blemish was a solo home run to Anthony Lepre to lead off the seventh.

Matt Reynolds relieved King and preserved the lead into the eighth when Canyons rallied for two runs. The game-winning run was on a two-out single from Lepre against reliever Skylar Bischoff. Reynolds took the loss after allowing two runs in one and one-third innings. He scattered three hits and struck out one. Bischoff threw one and two-third innings of scoreless relief with one strikeout.

Chase Wheatcroft earned the win in relief for Canyons. He threw four shutout innings and allowed just two hits and struck out three.