By Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information

College of the Canyons defeated visiting Antelope Valley College 13-6 at Cougar Field on March 26 to take the third and final meeting of the conference series.

Despite suffering three losses in the past four games, Canyons (11-13, 5-4) has scored 35 runs, with 13 of those coming in the contest vs. AVC (11-12, 3-6)

The Cougars featured an aggressive offense backed by the pitching performance of freshman pitcher Kyle Cop (4-2) who picked up the win.

Cop led his team from the mound for seven innings, giving up four earned runs on five hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.

AVC was first to cross home plate with a pair of doubles that created a 4-0 lead, but Cougar freshman Ryan Camacho answered right back setting the offensive tone with COC’s first home run of the game.

In the third-inning, Alex Ballesteros was second to homer, powering the ball over the fence for a grand-slam that claimed the Cougars a lead at 7-4.

The Marauders fought to push runs through, but Canyons was diligent in manufacturing its offense.

Dylan Jacobs briefly saw the mound in the beginning of the eighth, but was then relieved by Xavier Stoker, after giving up a run. Stoker closed out the game with one and 2/3 innings of work.

Tafton Hensley added to the Canyons offensive reign with his eighth home run of the season.

AVC put up one last run in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Cougars.

Top Performers

Alex Ballesteros – 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 BB, 2 R, 4 RBI

Tafton Hensley – 2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Ryan Camacho – 2-for-4, HR, BB, R, 2 RBI,

Mikey Kane – 2-for-3, 2B, 3 BB, R, 2 RBI,

Doyle Kane – 3-for-5, 2 R, RBI

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