College of the Canyons baseball won its third straight game behind five shutout innings from its bullpen and an eighth inning rally that carried the Cougars to a 4-2 victory over Antelope Valley College at Mike Gillespie Field.

Canyons (14-20, 8-9) kept its postseason hopes alive with the victory, its fourth across the last five games. The Cougars currently sit fourth in the Western State Conference (WSC), South Division standings, two games behind second place Antelope Valley (25-11, 10-7).

AVC built a 2-0 lead with RBI base hits from Gavin Klennert in the first and third innings.

Those runs came against COC starter Joseph Jasso who pitched the first four innings, allowing just the two runs on four hits and two walks. He also struck out five batters before handing the ball to Derek Hughes in the fifth inning.

Hughes kept Canyons in the game for the next three and 2/3 innings will a performance that included five walks but just two AVC hits, alongside three strike outs.

Evan Jaquez entered the game with a runner on but recorded the final out of the eighth inning ahead of the big Canyons rally.

In the home half of the inning the Cougars saw Isaiah Dominguez belt a lead-off home run to make it a 2-1 ballgame, the first of five hits in what proved to be the go-ahead sequence.

Hunter Essang then doubled to continue the rally and later scored on Jose Mariano’s RBI sac-fly that tied the game at 2-2.

Later, Frankie Malagon singled to bring up Jaquez who promptly ripped a single to center field, scoring Jung Jun Lee, to move the Cougars ahead at 3-2. Andrew Sherrell continued the scoring by drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring home Malagon at 4-2.

Jaquez (1-1) remained on the mound to shut down the AVC in the ninth and earn the win.

Top Performers

Isaiah Dominguez – 2-for-4, HR, R, RBI

Hunter Essang – 1-for-3, 2B, R

Derek Hughes – 3.2 IP, 2 H, 5 BB, 3 K

Joseph Jasso – 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Evan Jaquez – W (1-1), 1.1 IP, BB / 1-for-4, RBI

Frankie Malagon – 2-for-3, BB, R

The Cougars will take on West L.A. College over the final three games of the regular season, with that series beginning on the road Tuesday, April 22. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.

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