Hancock Baseball Earns 7-6 Walk-Off Win in 16 Innings Against Ventura
March 22, 2017

Hancock Baseball Earns 7-6 Walk-Off Win in 16 Innings Against Ventura

Recap Box Score
Cordell Bowie drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Dylan Maiden to deliver a 7-6 win in 16 innings for the Allan Hancock College baseball team over Ventura on Wednesday evening. The victory, the longest game for the Bulldogs in at least seven years, improved Hancock's Western State Conference record to 3-4 and 10-14 overall. The Pirates fell to 13-9 on the year and 3-4 in league.

Sophomore pitcher Walker Armstrong threw seven shutout innings in relief to extend the game until the Bulldogs delivered the game-winning run in the 16th inning. Armstrong allowed just four hits and struck out five to pick up the win to improve to 4-4 overall.

The Bulldogs finished with eight hits in the game, including two apiece from Kyle von Tillow and Armstrong, who started the game playing first base.

The game-winning rally started when Maiden led off with a single and Armstrong walked. Wyatt Coll reached base safely to load the bases with nobody out to set the stage for Bowie.

The Bulldogs broke open a scoreless game with a five-run fourth inning. Kyle von Tillow singled and stole second. Josh Harmonay walked and Brendan Gomez was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Maiden walked to force in von Tillow with the game's first run. Armstrong followed with a RBI-ground ball to second base to make it 2-0. Chris Taitague hit a fly ball to right field that was misplayed by the outfielder to allow Maiden and Gomez to score to make it 4-0 Bulldogs. Nash Ackerman followed with a RBI-single to drive in Taitague and cap the five-run frame.

Ventura got two runs back in the fifth against Hancock starting pitcher Phillip Martin. The Pirates erupted for four more in the seventh against Martin and Maiden, who entered the game with two on and two out.

Trailing 6-5 into the bottom of the ninth, Hancock loaded the bases the bases when Quinntin Perez delivered a pinch-hit single, Tommy Nguyen was hit by a pitch, and Daniel Curiel drew a walk. Von Tillow hit a sacrifice fly to center field allowing von Tillow to score to tie the game at 6-6.

Elijah Ortiz started for the Bulldogs and threw two shutout innings. He allowed one hit, issued three walks and struck out three. Martin allowed four runs, only two of those were earned. He walked three, struck out two and allowed three hits. Maiden allowed two unearned runs in 1/3 of an inning of relief. Phil Almanza threw two scoreless innings of relief with two punchouts.

The Bulldogs will travel to Ventura for a 2:30 p.m. game on Thursday, March 23.