With the luck of the Irish on its side, Moorpark College clubbed Hancock College into submission 11-7 in a combined 33-hitting barrage on St. Patrick’s Day, Thursday, Mar. 17 at Raiders Stadium.

The Bulldogs won the hitting contest 17-16, but the Raiders rode away with the game, snaring runs in all but two innings.

“Riley [Conlan] and Terrell [Tate] broke out of slumps and got their hits,” said Head Coach Mario Porto. “John Cashman pitched very well and has five wins all in relief.”

Moorpark stomped on Hancock’s pitching and led 4-0 after one inning. However, the Bulldogs responded immediately with six runs in the second, knocking Raiders’ starter Jake Eaton out of the game.

“It was an offensive game to say the least,” said Conlan, who had two hits and three RBIs. “We fought hard and kept their bats quiet toward the end, but they really know how to swing it.”

Moorpark reliever Zak Daniels replaced Eaton in the second and gave up four runs in three and two thirds innings, but got the win. Ace reliever John Cashman came on in the sixth and quelled the Bulldogs the rest of the way.

“We had a three game losing streak coming in, so it feels good to get back on track,” said Cashman, who pitched four innings of shutout relief and got the save.

Replacing the injured Garrett Kueber in the leadoff spot, Raiders center fielder Jessie Aucelluzzo led off the first with a single to center. Terrell Tate followed with a single to left and Riley Conlan’s hit loaded the bases with no outs.

“I threw [a runner] out at home in the second inning,” said Aucelluzzo, who had three hits, one RBI, and three runs in the game.

Dalton Duarte’s walk forced home Moorpark’s first run in the first and a wild pitch produced the second. A double to center field by designated hitter Daniel Cipriano delivered two key runs with the bases loaded to make it 4-0.

“I didn’t perform how I wanted to, but the team executed well and that’s all that matters,” said Duarte, who had a hit and two RBIs.

In the second inning for Hancock, Hunter Christensen’s double drove in Kyle Von Tillow, who previously singled to center. Carver Tippitt’s single put runners on first and second, and Zach Lampreia’s base hit scored the Bulldog’s second run.

“We didn’t swing the bats the last time [at Hancock],” said Tate. “[Today] we kept grinding out the at-bats and playing good defense.”

Chris Taitague’s double was followed by Colby Barrick’s single and two additional runs came home for Hancock in the second. With Daniels pitching, the barrage continued as Colton Studebaker’s double scored two more and the Bulldog’s were chomping 6-4.

“We swung the bats and executed well,” said Cipriano, who had two hits and three RBIs. “It was a huge win after losing three in a row.”

Aucelluzzo’s single was followed by Tate’s double in the fourth for Moorpark. Conlan’s groundout to second scored one run and a wild pitch brought home the second to make it 7-6.

After Christensen’s solo homerun tied it for Hancock in the top of the fifth, the Raiders pillaged two more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 9-7 lead.

“[The win] gets us back to .500 and we’re right in the middle of the conference at the break,” Porto concluded. “The first place team may be [only] one or two games ahead of us.”

Moorpark hosts Golden West College in two non-conference games at Raiders Stadium on Friday, March. 25, at 2:30 p.m. and Saturday, March. 27, at 1 p.m.