Bulldogs win home opener, topping Bakersfield 6-3
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bakersfield
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 |
|
Allan Hancock
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 6 | 8 | 1 |
Joe Bailey jbailey@leecentralcoastnews.com
Hancock was on the verge of allowing a game that it once led 3-0 to head to extra innings.
However, EJ Morris didn't feel like clocking in for overtime Tuesday.
Morris dug in with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning while Hancock and Bakersfield College were knotted at 3-3.
Morris sliced a ground ball past first base, scoring catcher Riley Joyce from second base for the game-winning run in the Bulldogs' 6-3 victory.
Pinch-hitter Hunter Christensen followed up Morris' go-ahead hit with a single that drove in two more runs for the Bulldogs, who snapped a five-game losing streak.
The Bulldogs started their season with six straight road games before their home-opener Tuesday afternoon at John Osborne Field.
"It's great, I'd take any win right now whether it's home or on the road," Hancock coach Chris Stevens said. "We challenged these guys with six road games to start the season so it was nice to be at home in front of some familiar faces."
Hancock's freshman leadoff hitter Colby Barrick, a Santa Ynez grad, had a breakout game, going 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Barrick was the only Bulldog with multiple hits.
The freshman Morris, a St. Joseph grad, drove in two runs on the day and scored another.
Stevens said Morris' hit was huge and could provide a boost for the club.
"We've been lacking a big hit in that situation through the first six games and it was just a matter of somebody coming in and doing that and EJ was the guy today," Stevens said. "It was terrific."
The Renegades out-hit the Bulldogs 9-8.
Hancock starter Elijah Ortiz, a left-handed pitcher from Sanger High, went five innings, allowed three runs on five hits while walking two and striking out two batters.
Sophomore Matt Shackley, from Pleasanton, pitched the final four innings for the Bulldogs and earned the win. Shackley earned his lone strikeout to end the game, stranding two runners on base.
The Bulldogs got to Bakersfield starter Joe Bresson early Tuesday, scoring twice in the first inning and once in the second.
Barrick led off the bottom of the first with a line-drive single and moved to second on a bunt from Colton Studebaker. After a double-steal, Will Bierlein hit a dribbler up the middle, that allowed Barrick to score on a fielder's choice.
Studebaker later scored on an error.
In the bottom of the second inning, Zach Lampreia walked and Angel Guillen, a Pioneer Valley grad, followed with a single. Lampreia came around to score on a hit from Barrick.
There was no action until Bakersfield hit up Ortiz for three earned runs in the top of the fourth inning, with Harrison Smith, Zach Tanner and Junior Felix each driving in a run.
Bakersfield had a chance to take a lead in the top of the seventh inning after singles from Brooks Douglass and Eddie Torres.
With one out, though, Guillen, Hancock's second baseman, started a picture-perfect 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Hancock freshman Carver Tippett, a Bakersfield Stockdale graduate, walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh and eventually moved to third with two outs. Guillen was at the plate and fell behind 0-2 before working a full count. Guillen went down looking on a called strike three.
Bakersfield managed to get runners at the corners in the top of the eighth inning before Shackley forced Felix to pop up to shallow center field to end the inning.
Barrick started the bottom of the eighth with a lineout and Studebaker grounded out to third, bringing Joyce up with two out. Joyce worked a walk and moved to second on a single from Bierlein, bringing Morris up.
Bakersfield coach Tim Painton decided to stick with Bresson and Morris took advantage, ripping a base-hit past first base.
Pat Higashi came into relieve Bresson and Christensen knocked in the two insurance runs, bringing home Beirlein and Morris.
Shackley struck out Smith to end the game with two runners on base.
Hancock is now 2-5 on the season and hosts Canyons Thursday at 2 p.m. before kicking off conference play Saturday at home against Ventura at 1 p.m.
Tuesday's game featured two long-tenured coaches as Stevens is in his 14th season with the Bulldogs and Painton is in his 19th season with the Renegades.