Hancock rallies late to top Vaqueros 7-3 in regular-season finale

Hancock erupted for six runs in the eighth inning on Friday afternoon and went on to beat SBCC 7-3 in the regular-season baseball finale at Pershing Park.

The Vaqueros (19-17, 16-8 WSC North) had their five-game winning streak snapped. They finished second in conference, two games behind Cuesta (18-6). Santa Barbara had already secured its sixth straight trip to the Southern Cal Regional.

Leadoff hitter Colby Barrick went 3-5 with two doubles for the Bulldogs (19-17, 11-13), who overcame a 3-1 deficit with six runs on six hits in the eighth.

Michael Montpas, Chris Smutny and Nicholas Allman all went 2-4 for the Vaqueros, who were outhit 12-8. SBCC is 11-1 when scoring six or more runs and 8-16 when they get five or less.

The Vaqueros took a 2-0 lead in the fifth when Allman led off with a double down the left-field line, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Wesley Ghan-Gibson and scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Montpas. Smutny followed with an RBI single that scored Tyler Rosen for a 2-0 lead.

Hancock ended a 25-inning scoreless streak in the seventh when Hunter Christensen reached on catcher's interference, went to second on a passed ball and to third on a groundout. Kyle Von Tillow pinch ran for Christensen and scored an unearned run on Zach Lampria's RBI single off Vaquero starter Ian Clark.

Santa Barbara extended the lead to 3-1 when Allman led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homer that landed on Castillo Street, 35 feet beyond the right-field fence. It was the second homer in two days for Allman.

Justin Daraban singled to open the eighth for Hancock and went to second on a wild pitch. Austin Blessing replaced Clark on the mound and gave up three straight hits and the Bulldogs tied it at 3 on an RBI single by Jacob Tonascia. After a strikeout, Tim Mahoney hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Colton Studebaker with the go-ahead run.

After a walk and a single, Brett Gregory came on in relief and gave up a two-run double to Carver Tippitt to make it 7-3 in favor of the Bulldogs.

"We played seven innings today, we didn't play nine," said coach Jeff Walker. "Ian Clark pitched great. Our bullpen and our defense couldn't pick him up at the end of the game."

Clark pitched well enough to win, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

When asked about the playoff situation, Walker said: "I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up in the play-in game."

There are two play-in games in the 18-team Southern Cal Regional with the 18 seed playing at No. 15 and 17 playing at 16. If the Vaqueros are the 15 or 16 seed, they would be at home on Tuesday.

The Vaqueros will find out who they play in the Southern Cal Regional when the pairings are announced on Sunday.