Crystal Gonzales and Shaylyn Coy both collected three hits and drove in two, while Coy also struck out nine in a complete game to lead the Allan Hancock College softball team to a 12-2 win in five innings at Cuesta in a Western State Conference game on Tuesday afternoon.
Hancock snapped a seven-game slide and improved to 5-7 in league and 9-17 overall. Cuesta dropped its fourth in a row and fell to 2-10 in conference action and 7-26 overall.
The 12-run outburst was the Bulldogs’ biggest offensive showing since scoring 18 runs in a win over L.A. Pierce on March 19.
The Bulldogs scored early and often against the Cougars. In the first against starting pitcher Irene Sias, Sabrina Ornelas drew a one-out walk and stole second. After Zaiden Bakke singled her over to third, Mackenzie Caspian delivered a RBI-single to drive in Ornelas and advance Bakke to third. Shortstop Adiana Pacheco delivered clutch two-out, two-run single to give Hancock a 3-0 lead.
Gonzales singled home a run in the second, and Siana Castillo singled home another in the third to give Hancock a 5-0 lead.
Hancock added two more in the fourth when Ornelas reached based and Gonzales scored on a Cuesta error, and Coy punched a RBI-single to make it 7-0 Bulldogs. Hancock put it on ice with five in the fifth inning when Gonzales ripped a RBI-double, Cuesta committed two errors allowing three more to score, and Coy singled home Caspian to push the lead to 12-0.
Cuesta managed two runs on five hits against Coy in the bottom of the fifth. But the freshman struck out Brianna Lopez with the bases loaded to end the game.
Coy struck out at least one batter in every inning, including three in the second. She earned the win after scattering eight hits, two runs, and one walk over five innings. Coy fanned nine and went 3-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBI.
Gonzales went 3-for-4, scored twice, and drove in two more. Ornelas stole her conference-leading 17th base and scored three times. Pacheco went 1-for-3 with 2 RBI. Eight different players collected at least one hit to account for the Bulldogs’ 12 hits. Hancock also drew nine free passes, as Gonzales, Coy, and Pacheco each walked twice.
Katie Murphee led the Cougars with three hits.
The Bulldogs welcome first-place Bakersfield on Thursday, April 11. The Renegades are a perfect 12-0 in Western State Conference play and 19-16 overall.
–Provided by Allan Hancock College
