Giants open with win, head to Allan Hancock on Jan. 28

Payton Allen (Golden West) and Donte Valdez (Redwood) provided all the runs College of the Sequoias' baseball team would need in the third inning to lead during an 8-2 season-opening, non-conference victory over visiting Allan Hancock on Jan. 25. 

After Flavio Perez Jr. (Hanford) doubled and Elijah Munoz (Redwood) and Isaac Gonzalez (Redwood) drew walks to open the bottom of the third, Allen delivered a sacrifice fly to right field for COS' first run of the season.

Casey Miller (Tulare Western) got hit by a pitch to reload the bases, and Donte Valdez cleared them with a double to give the Giants a 4-0 lead.

Northern California preseason No. 11-ranked COS would score another run in the seventh on Isaac Gonzalez' run-scoring double, and three in the eighth, highlighted by an RBI double from Cade Sakamoto (Highland-Bakersfield) and a sac fly by Mike McKernan (Mt. Whitney).

That would be plenty of offense to back the Giants' trio of pitchers: Sakamoto, Benjamin Pedersen (Tulare Union) and J.T. Friesen (Immanuel).

Sakamoto allowed two earned runs on three hits and a walk to pick up the win. He struck out seven.

Pedersen pitched three scoreless innings while striking out five.

Friesen finished up with a perfect ninth, including one strikeout.

COS will travel to Santa Maria to face Hancock on Jan. 28. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

The Giants will return home this weekend to host NorCal preseason No. 13 Marin (1-1) in a three-game series. Games are set for 2 p.m. Jan. 30-31, and noon Feb. 1.