Lori Valadez, Hancock College women/s tennis coach Ginny Barnett said, is playing the way the number one player on the team should play.

"That/s been big," Barnett said as the Bulldogs were blanking Santa Barbara City College 9-0 on the Hancock courts in a Western State Conference match Tuesday.

The Bulldogs are 4-0 in the WSC and 5-1 overall. Santa Barbara is 1-4, 1-4. The Vaqueros have had no non-conference matches.

"Lori playing so well at No. 1 has helped us play the other girls where they should be," on the Hancock singles ladder, Barnett said.

Valadez defeated Ayako Yamzaki 6-0, 6-1 in the No. 1 singles match Tuesday. She teamed up with Carlene Holst at No. 1 doubles, and the pair downed Yamzaki and Lindsey Borghello 8-2 in a pro set.

"That was (Yamzaki/s and Borghello/s) first loss all year," Barnett said. "They/ve played Cuesta and everybody. That/s really good."

Cuesta and Hancock figure to duel for the WSC title. The teams play at 2 p.m. next Tuesday at Hancock in a makeup of an earlier match that was rained out.

During one point in particular in the No. 1 doubles match Tuesday, all four players hit strong backhand volleys. Valadez finally belted one into an alley for a winner.

"Whoa, good shot girl," Borghello said with a chuckle.

Valadez is a sophomore who became a mother last year. She gradually worked her way up Hancock/s singles ladder.

Valadez wound up No. 1 this year when Melissa Bailey, the No. 1 singles player for the Bulldogs when they tied Ventura for the WSC title last season, transferred to Cabrillo Junior College in Aptos.

She and Holst have formed a strong top doubles tandem. In the other doubles match Tuesday, Hancock/s Carly Barnett and Julie San Jose defeated Trish Dicker and Janna Moreno 8-3. Bulldogs Clairol Lozano and Monica Krier took a forfeit win in the No. 3 doubles match.

Krier was a consistent No. 2 singles player for Hancock last season, and she has picked up this season where she left off last year. Krier defeated Borghello 6-0, 6-3.

Holst, Lozano and Barnett, Hancock/s Nos. 3 through 5 singles players, each lost one game in breezing in straight sets. Amanda Urias defeated Henny Jensen 6-0, 6-4 at No. 6.

Jensen is 78 years old.

"I play every day," in Santa Barbara, the Denmark native said. She laughed. "I take the same courses over and over," at SBCC.

"This is my first year playing for the college. I like to play with the young people, the college students. I just enjoy playing the game."

Lozano starred for Barnett/s Santa Maria High team that lost in the CIF Division IV finals in 2003. However, she played strictly doubles.

She acknowledged that playing tennis for Hancock has been an adjustment for her.

"It/s much more serious," at the junior college level, Lozano said. "It/s much more mature.

"You never know what to expect. There/s such a difference in age," Lozano said, alluding to the Urias-Jensen match.

Lozano and Krier took a forfeit win in the No. 3 doubles match.

Hancock plays another WSC match at 2 p.m. Thursday at Bakersfield.

Cuesta 8, Glendale 1

SAN LUIS OBISPO 7 The Cougars (4-0, 4-1) stayed unbeaten in the WSC with an easy win. Cuesta swept the doubles matches.

Men/s tennis

Santa Barbara 9, Hancock 0

SANTA BARBARA 7 Davis Best and Lewis Smith, and Steve Howell and Emmanuel Llamas were competitive in their doubles matches for the Bulldogs (0-4, 0-6). Both lost 8-6.

Best won the most games at singles for Hancock, losing 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1. Hancock is at home at 2 p.m. Thursday against Bakersfield in another WSC match. Santa Barbara is 1-4, 1-5.

Baseball

Hancock 5, Ventura 4

At Hancock, Bulldogs right fielder Jimmy Van Ostrand drove in the winning run as Hancock (3-0, 6-3) won this WSC North Division game in extra innings.

The victory was the Bulldogs/ second straight extra inning one.

Hancock starting pitcher Adam Campbell and reliever Jacob Kougl combined to hold the Pirates to four hits. Kougl pitched the last five innings to earn the win, striking out seven and allowing just one run.

Hancock shortstop Ben Hodges had three hits, including an RBI double in the fourth. Hancock plays at Ventura at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Cuesta 1, Oxnard 0

OXNARD 7 After two close losses to Hancock, the Cougars (1-2, 3-6) grabbed their first WSC win behind Justin Klipp/s two-hit pitching.

Softball

L.A. Valley 12, Hancock 1

The Bulldogs (2-4, 3-10) took a 1-0 lead in this WSC interdivision game with a first-inning run. Little went right for the home team after that.

Lena Felix and Stephanie Silva had two hits each for Hancock. Felix doubled.

The Vikings (3-3, 6-9) had just nine players Tuesday. "We don/t need any more!," said Vikings catcher Loara Arregan, who doubled and tripled. "We/re good with nine!"

Hancock plays a non-conference doubleheader at Cypress that begins at noon Saturday.

Cuesta 10, L.A. Mission 6

SAN LUIS OBISPO 7 The Cougars broke the game open with six fifth-inning runs to improve to 6-0, 9-8 with an interdivision win. Chesi Brehm had a two-run single in Cuesta/s big inning.

March 10, 2004