Hancock Baseball Opens Season Friday with Three-Game Home Stand
Armed with a talented crop of freshmen and a strong contingent of sophomores, the Allan Hancock College baseball team opens the 2017 season Friday, January 27, at home against L.A. Pierce. First pitch will be at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 19 in the Southern California Preseason Coaches Poll.
"We are an inexperienced team, but we will have to gain that experience quickly," said 16th-year head coach Chris Stevens. "This is one of the most talented freshmen class I've ever had, and they ahead of the game in terms of where most freshmen are at this point."
Among the talented freshmen are infielder Quinntin Perez, a St. Joseph High School graduate; Josh Harmonay; Righetti graduate and redshirt freshman Daniel Curiel; Cabrillo High School graduates Philip Martin and Dylan Maiden; first baseman Cordell Bowie; and catcher Nash Ackerman, an Arroyo Grande High School graduate.
"Ackerman will be our starting catcher. He has really come a long way since the fall and improved his all-around game, especially when it comes to controlling the running game," said Stevens. "He is a smart kid, who needed to learn a few things about playing at the college level and he learned them quickly."
Stevens said Maiden and Martin, who both helped Cabrillo win a league title in 2016, will be key arms for the Bulldogs. Martin, who was the Los Padres League's Most Valuable Pitcher after going 10-2 with a 1.00 ERA, will start during the season-opening home stand. Maiden, the Los Padres League's Most Valuable Player in 2016, will pitch out of the bullpen.
Perez, Harmonay, Curiel and Ryan Peinado will share starting infield positions. Peinado, a St. Joseph High School graduate; centerfielder Kyle von Tillow, a Santa Ynez High School product; and pitcher Walker Armstrong are the only returning players with starting experience. Stevens expects big things from all three sophomores.
"Ryan and Kyle have really stepped up in their leadership roles. They've played college ball for a year now, and they're really helping the younger guys and mentoring," said Stevens. "We will rely on Walker's experience on the mound. He has been in some big moments for us before and shows tremendous composure and presence on the mound."
Armstrong earned All-Conference honorable mention his freshman season. He went 3-7 with a 3.41 in 14 games that included a stretch of 20 consecutive scoreless innings. The St. Joseph High School graduate is also a solid hitter, so Stevens plans to insert Armstrong into the starting lineup at first place on days he does not pitch.
von Tillow returns as Hancock's starting centerfielder. He hit .255 with 18 runs and 7 RBI as a freshman. Peinado scored 14 runs and drew 14 walks in 27 games for the Bulldogs in 2016. Primarily a third baseman last year, Peinado will see time in the third at first and third base.
Redshirt freshman Will Dowell will also start on the mound for Hancock. The 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher graduated from Righetti High School.
"Will's fastball has really picked up in the last year," said Stevens. "His command of pitches has really improved too."
Last season, Hancock went 19-17 overall. One of the many bright spots was pitcher Isaiah Ramos, who played sparingly as an infielder his freshman year at Hancock then asked coaches for a chance to pitch as a sophomore. Ramos went on to go 9-0 with a 3.04 ERA and earn All-Conference and All-American honors during his first-ever season as a pitcher. Ramos was one of eight players from the 2016 team to earn scholarships to play at four-year institutions. Stevens says there is a potential 2017 version of Isaiah Ramos.
"We have high hopes this year for Wyatt Standley as a relief pitcher," said Stevens. "He played exclusively as an outfielder last year for us as a freshman. In the fall, he mentioned to our pitching coach (Clarence Griego) how he pitched in high school so we gave him a chance. We liked what we saw, now he's a pitcher."
The Bulldogs start the season with a three-game home stand. They will play L.A. Pierce Friday and Saturday, January 27-28. First pitch Friday will be at 2 p.m. and at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Hancock will host Cabrillo College at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29.