By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

Blake Doremus slugged two home runs and Jackson Cunningham picked up his first win of the season as the Cougars mauled visiting Antelope Valley College 11-3 on Friday.

College of the Canyons (11-7, 2-0) has outscored its opponents 39-5 to win its last three games.

Doremus was one of three Cougars to the leave the yard on Friday. Calvin Estrada got things going with a two-run home run in the top of the first, then watched as Ryan Mendoza hit a solo shot in the second.

In the third inning, it was Doremus with a three-run shot that put COC comfortably ahead at 6-0. Senituli Taufahema added an RBI double later in the inning, then came around to score on an RBI sac-fly by Ivan Lomeli that pushed the lead to 8-0.

AVC (11-8, 0-2) pushed across an unearned run in the fourth on a passed ball that snuck past Mendoza but was otherwise held in check by Cunningham (1-2). The sophomore later allowed a solo home run to start the seventh inning and the Marauders charged one more to Cunningham’s account before he gave way to reliever Eric Little, who was able to pitch out of the jam. Cunningham allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and two walks in six and 1/3 innings, while striking out five.

In the home half of the seventh Doremus launched his second home run of the day, and fifth in the last three games, a two-run shot that made it a 10-3 game. He finished the day 2-for-4 with five RBIs.

COC rounded out the scoring with an unearned run of its own when Trace Eldridge came home on a passed ball in the eighth for an 11-3 final score.

Eldridge was 2-for-3 with two walks and a pair of runs in the leadoff spot. Estrada finished 2-for-4 with a home run, double, walk and two RBIs.

Here’s the box score.

Canyons looked to keep its win streak intact when it hosted conference rival Citrus College at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Cougar Field.

Stay up to date on all this season’s action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Photo by Tim Strong/COC Sports Information