By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

Angelo Aleman smacked a pair of home runs as College of the Canyons concluded its three-game series vs. Antelope Valley College with a 10-5 home victory at Mike Gillespie Field on Friday.

Canyons (17-16, 9-6) has now won back-to-back series vs. Western State Conference (WSC), South Division opponents, taking five of six games over that span. COC has also scored at least 10 runs in four of those contests. The Cougars currently sit in third place in the conference standings, five game back of leader L.A. Valley College.

Aleman led off the game with his first round-tripper of the day. In the second inning Evan Jaquez singled home Domenik Cervantes to move ahead 2-0.

AVC (17-15, 6-9) got on the board with a three-run shot of its own coming off the bat of Cody Turner to make it a 3-2 ballgame.

Cade McPherson notched his first home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the fourth inning. Later, it was Jake Schwartz working a bases-loaded walk to put the score at 6-3.

The Marauders got two runs back in the top of the fifth. But in the bottom of the inning Andrew Sherrell‘s single through the right side brought in Jayden Steinhurst at 7-4. In the sixth, AVC plated another run on a double-play ball to stay in the fight at 7-5.

However, it was all Cougars from that point on. Schwartz delivered another RBI, this time on a single to right field, to put COC ahead 8-5 headed into the seventh.

Aleman’s second home run of the game, and third of the series, but the Cougars firmly in control at 9-5. The final score came from a Cervantes sac-fly that allowed Charlie Rocca to score at 10-5.

Kyler Freude started for Canyons and threw the first four innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk to go alongside five strikeouts.

COC reliever Jon Bahr (4-1) earned the victory for his one inning of work, allowing a pair of runs in the process. Joseph Jasso picked up his first save of the year with a four-inning shutout performance. He walked one batter and struck out four along the way.

AVC starter Cody Turner took the loss after being tagged for six runs, five earned, with three walks and four strikeouts.

Top Performers

– Angelo Aleman – 2-for-4, BB, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

– Domenik Cervantes – 3-for-3, BB, 2B, sac, 2 R, RBI

– Alex Freund – 2-for-4, 2 R, SB

– Cade McPherson – 1-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI

– Jake Schwartz – 1-for-3, BB, 2 RBI

– Andrew Sherrell – 2-for-4, R, RBI

Upcoming Schedule

Canyons will begin a three-game series vs. West L.A. College on Tuesday, April 16 at Mike Gillespie Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

The action shifts to Culver City on Thursday, April 18 for game two, with the series finale back at Gillespie Field on Saturday, April 20 for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Saturday’s game will be broadcast to fans via YouTube on the Cougars Sports Network.