SBCC scored twice in the ninth inning to tie Tuesday’s WSC North baseball game but couldn’t overcome two errors in the 11th and Hancock took advantage to post a 5-4 victory in Santa Maria.
The Vaqueros (17-13, 11-5) committed five errors, leading to three unearned runs as their six-game winning streak came to an end. Cuesta beat Moorpark 6-0 to move back into a first-place tie with Santa Barbara.
The Vaqueros have four WSC games remaining and two are against Cuesta (Thursday at home and Saturday in San Luis Obispo).
Dalton Rouleau led off the 11th with a single for Hancock (16-14, 9-7). He tried to steal second and the Vaqueros called a pitchout but the throw sailed high. After an intentional walk, J.P. Maestas singled to left and SBCC booted the ball, allowing the winning run to score.
Santa Barbara rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 4-2. SBCC starter Kylin Turnbull went seven innings, allowing four runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.
In the seventh, the Bulldogs (16-14, 9-7) loaded the bases with no outs before Turnbull fanned two batters. Then he hit a batter on an 0-2 count, giving Hancock a 4-2 lead.
The Vaqueros tied it at 4-4 in the ninth when Colt McLaughlin walked with one out and pinch-hitter Zach Pecyna singled. With two outs and two strikes, Pat Cavalier stroked a two-run single over the shortstop’s head.
“It was a great comeback on a tough day when we lined out seven times,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We gave them three runs in the first on one hit and an error. We weren’t ready to play.
“I was OK with our hitting but we just weren’t ready defensively.”
The Vaqueros will host Cuesta in a first-place showdown on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
(11 innings)
SBCC ………… 002 000 002 00 — 4 6 5
Hancock ….… 300 000 100 01 — 5 8 1
Turnbull, Gunderson (8) and White, Trevino (9); Sechler, Dunsmore (10) and Young. W–Dunsmore 1-0. L–Gunderson 3-4.
