Hancock’s Killough outduels Wendell, 3-2

Bailey Killough held SBCC to two runs on six hits on Wednesday and Hancock pushed across a run in the fifth to pull out a 3-2 softball victory at Pershing Park.

Killough (5-1), a sophomore from Arroyo Grande High, struck out seven and allowed one earned run. SBCC sophomore Calista Wendell was nearly as good, giving up three runs (two earned) on 10 hits with a career-high 11 strikeouts and one walk.

The Bulldogs (11-3-1, 2-0 WSC North) got the game-winning run in the top of the fifth when shortstop Mallory Townsend (3-3, 2 runs) singled to left with one out. Zaiden Bakke delivered a two-out RBI single to left to make it 3-2.

Hancock took a 2-0 lead in the first on a walk, an error and a two-run double down the right-field line by Killough. The Vaqueros (8-8, 0-2) got a run in the first on an RBI single by Isabella Gregson and tied it at 2 in the second on a double by Kayla Sanchez, a passed ball and a run-scoring groundout by Jasmine Manson.

Hancock had won its previous three games by a combined 62-12 and has the fourth-best offense in the state, averaging 10 runs a game.

"Calista has been doing a great job this year," said coach Justine Bosio. "Anytime you can hold a team to 10 or fewer hits and have all the strikeouts she had, that's huge. She definitely pitched well enough to win, we just didn't make the adjustments we needed to make at the plate."

The Vaqueros had just one hit and four baserunners in the last four innings.

"We need to do a better job of being students of the game and realizing that she kind of lived on the inside corner," explained Bosio. "We knew they were a good hitting team, so it was important to try to get ahead of batters and hit our spots. I thought Calista did a great job of doing that. We just need to get her some more run support."

The Vaqueros played without center fielder and No. 2 hitter Chloe Wells, who had to take a midterm exam.

Friday's home game vs. Cerritos has been postponed in anticipation of the rain that's expected early Friday morning. The Vaqueros next game will be a WSC North home contest vs. Cuesta on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.