Bulldogs Take Series Over Merced with Rubber Match Victory

MERCED, Calif - 

The Allan Hancock College baseball team picked up a series win over Merced College this weekend, taking two of three games behind timely hitting, clean defense, and a strong response in the finale.

Game 1 – Bulldogs 10, Merced 5 | BOX SCORE
Hancock opened the series with an offensive surge, slugging five extra-base hits while playing error-free defense. Josue Garcia led the charge at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. The Bulldogs broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning and never looked back, finishing with 14 hits as a team in the series opener.

Game 2 – Merced 7, Bulldogs 4 | BOX SCORE
Merced evened the series in game two despite a solid outing from Seth Tedeschi, who allowed two runs over five innings. Parker Schwake jumpstarted the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning, but the Bulldogs were unable to generate consistent offense the rest of the way. Hancock's pitching staff hit nine batters in the loss, which proved costly as Merced pulled away late.

Game 3 – Bulldogs 9, Merced 5 | BOX SCORE
In Sunday's rubber match, the Bulldogs showed resilience after falling behind early. Hancock answered with three runs in both the third and fourth innings to seize momentum. Matt Kovach and Josue Garcia each collected three hits, while Schwake added two more to cap a strong weekend. Braden Oliver delivered the decisive blow with a two-RBI single in the sixth inning, putting the game out of reach. On the mound, Brady Birdsong was dominant in relief, throwing four hitless innings and striking out five to secure the series win.

The Bulldogs return to action on February 24, opening conference play at home against LA Pierce College.

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