By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

College of the Canyons plated runs all in all but two innings of a shortened game to narrowly trail Orange Coast College 14-12 by the time play was suspended due to darkness after seven innings.

Canyons (0-3) trailed 6-0 after the first inning, and at one point fell behind 13-3, before battling back with nine unanswered runs to make it a ballgame at 13-12 through six innings of play.

Orange Coast (2-2) then added an Ian Morales solo home run to give the Pirates an insurance run in the top of the seventh.

DJ Kougher led off the home half of the seventh with a stand-up double. Steven Gonzalez followed by working a walk to give the Cougars hope with two on and one away. However, during that sequence, with the sun quickly setting, the home plate umpire informed both dugouts that the game would be called at the inning’s conclusion.

Unfortunately, the Cougars could get to no closer as the final two batters both fouled out to end the game after seven innings.

Orange Coast starter Oscar Villareal (1-0) earned the victory despite being tagged for six runs. He struck out three and walked three in four innings of work. Matt Maloney picked up a save for the Pirates when the umpire’s announcement created an immediate opportunity.

Kyle Cop (0-1) took the loss for Canyons after failing to get through the first inning. Cop recorded strikeouts for both of his first inning outs but walked a pair and surrendered seven hits.

COC freshman Tafton Hensley lifted off on a three-run shot in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Pirates’ lead to 13-6. Hensley finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs and five RBIs.

Jadyn Myatt also recorded a home run to lead off the second inning. He finished 2-for-5 with a pair of runs.

Alex Ballesteros and Jovan Camacho both drove in runs for a Cougar team that banged out 12 hits and six walks.

Canyons reliever Chris Resendiz provided a bright spot by tossing 3 and 1/3 innings of relief, allowing two runs and four hits to help keep the Cougars within striking distance.

Stay up to date on all this season’s action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department at COC Sports.