The scent of freshly cut grass and the thwack of baseballs hitting mitts has returned to John Osborne Field, heralding spring’s imminent arrival. On a recent afternoon, Allan Hancock College head coach Chris Stevens watched his team practice.
So far, though it’s still early, Stevens likes what he sees.
“They play hard together. They’re a very competitive group,” he said. “Even in inter-squads and things like that, they’re getting after each other. We haven’t had that in a long time.”
Confidence is running sky-high at Hancock, which came into the year ranked 17th in Southern California in a coaches’ preseason poll. Stevens said the recognition is nice, but the real proof is on the field.
The Bulldogs began the year on the right foot, beating Orange County’s Santa Ana College 9-7 on Feb. 4. Coming into the game, Santa Ana was ranked second in the region and 21st overall in the nation among all junior colleges.
The game was a prime example of the difficult non-conference matchup Stevens likes to schedule to start the season, in order to build up the team’s Ratings Percentage Index. The point system determines playoff seeding, and a strong schedule could make the difference between hosting a home playoff game and having to play on the road, Stevens explained.
“We want to play those top-dog teams. We want the challenge,” he said. “Playing those top teams makes our program better. It shows us where the bar is, and where we have to get in order to fulfill some of those goals.”
Infielder Chris Mallory, one of 12 of Hancock’s returning sophomores, said he enjoys being put to the test right off the bat.
“It helps us build our character,” he said. “Everybody wants to be able to compete with those ranked teams eventually. If you can compete with those guys, then later on in the season you already know what you’re going to be involved with in the playoffs.”
Last season, Hancock played the toughest schedule in the Western States Conference, finishing 22-22 overall and 15-10 in the North division. The mark was good enough for second place and qualified the Bulldogs for a playoff spot. However, the team faltered in the first round against top-ranked Cypress College, losing two games to none.
This year, Hancock players and coaches want to win the conference title, make the playoffs, and win a state
championship.
Mallory, who hit .360 last season, is one of the team’s key offensive holdovers, along with infielders Peter Straka and Skyler Ellis. Mallory said although the Bulldogs lost several key pitchers and position players from last year, he’s impressed with the thirst for winning the incoming freshmen have displayed thus far.
“Hopefully we can go back to where we were last year,” he said. “Offense is a big thing for us. We’ve got a lot of guys that want to compete and do what we do, which is go hit.”
Ellis, a first-team All-Conference first basemen who hit .307 and led the team in RBIs in 2009, said this season’s lineup probably won’t hit a lot of home runs, but has the gap power to get more than their share of extra base hits. He said the team is coming into 2010 with a “different aura” about it.
“We’re feeling really confident this year,” he said. “The level of play is just a little bit higher. We know we’re going to perform.”
There was no off-season for Ellis, one of 15 players on Hancock’s roster who played for the semipro Santa Maria Pilots over the summer. Another former Pilot is freshman Dalton Rouleau, a first team All-CIF selection and MVP of the Los Padres League his junior year at Lompoc High. He said his experience over the summer helped him prepare for college ball and got him acquainted with some of his future teammates.
“We’ve got a great chemistry,” he said. “Everyone gets along really well. We’ve got a lot of guys that can play.”
As for the transition to the next level, Rouleau said some things don’t change.
“It’s just another game,” he said. “It’s a little bit faster, but it’s just baseball. That’s all it is. I just want to play hard, play the game right, and have fun while I’m doing it.”
In addition to Rouleau, Coach Stevens expects freshmen Dylan Young, a standout infielder from Las Vegas, and closer Jacob Valenzuela, a transfer from CSU Bakersfield, to make an immediate impact.
Sophomore pitcher Chuck Buchanan is the team’s ace. He posted a 5.87 ERA and 3-4 record last year and said the Bulldogs are more experienced and enjoying a better all-around atmosphere this time around.
“We’ve got a lot of depth at a lot of spots this year,” he said. “Pitching is solid, defense looks really good, and our hitting is obviously doing really well. We can respond to the big innings that we give up.”
Buchanan pitched four innings against Santa Ana, recording a no-decision in the victory.
“They beat us pretty bad last year and we wanted to return the favor,” he said of Santa Ana. “Our offense responded really well. We’d give up a couple of runs, and we’d answer back with a couple more. It was a good feeling, and hopefully we can carry that through the rest of the season.”
The Bulldogs will have a chance to prove they belong among the best when they head to Cypress College for a pair of games on Feb. 25 and 27. Cypress is currently ranked No. 1 among junior colleges in the state and seventh in the country.
After two losses to Canada College, the Bulldogs are 2-2 overall going into a Feb. 16 game against rival Bakersfield.
Hancock’s conference schedule starts with a game against Moorpark College on March 9.
Stevens said while his club might not be the most talented team in the conference, he’d use the team’s underdog status to their advantage.
“If you’re competing and your desire is more than that of your opponent, then you have a better chance of succeeding and winning that game,” Stevens said. “That’s the concept they’re getting.”
Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas gets concepts and stuff. Contact him at jthomas@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 18-25, 2010.