College of the Canyons softball pounded out 13 hits in a shortened 12-4 five-inning win over L.A. Valley College on Tuesday, March 25 to win its second straight conference game.

Canyons (12-12, 2-3) has now bookended conference wins over Glendale College and LAVC between a pair of home losses vs. Orange Coast College on March 22.

The Monarchs (11-16-1, 0-5) took a brief 1-0 lead in the first inning but were otherwise playing catchup through most of the contest.

Yahali Gonzalez came around to score on a passed ball that tied that game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. In the next inning it was Brooke Petretti‘s two-run single putting Canyons ahead 3-1. Petretti later came around to score on a wild pitch.

L.A. Valley was able to plate three runs and find new life in the third, tying the game at 4-4 with a pair of run-scoring singles. However, Canyons answered right back.

Skylar Vanole‘s RBI triple gave COC the lead back at 5-4. Three batters later Petretti cleared the bases once again with a three-run triple to seize clear control at 8-4. After Petretti made her way home on an infield error Krista Viereck tripled in a run of her own to make it a 10-4 ballgame.

In the fourth Mia Reese doubled in another run before coming in to score on Yahali Gonzalez‘ RBI base hit, ending the scoring at 12-4.

COC pitcher Akane Gonzalez (6-4) earned the win after pitching two and two-thirds innings of relief and scattering three hits. She took over from starter Nichole Muro who lasted the first two and one-third innings and was charged with four runs, two earned, with a pair of walks and two strikeouts.

LAVC starter Jovanna Ross (3-5) suffered the loss in her two and two-thirds innings of work.

Top Performers

• Alexia Mejia – 2-for-3, 2 R, SB
• Akane Gonzalez – W (6-4), 2.2 IP, 3 H, K
• Yahali Gonzalez – 1-for-1, BB, 3 R, RBI, 2 SB
• Jeniece Jimenez – 1-for-3, BB, R, RBI
• Brooke Petretti – 3-for-4, 3B, 2 R, 5 RBI, 3 SB
• Mia Reese – 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, SB

Upcoming Schedule

The Cougars will host a non-conference doubleheader vs. Cerritos College on Saturday, March 29. Those games will be livestreamed to fans free of charge on the Cougars Sports Network.

Conference play then resumes Tuesday, April 1, for a 2:30 p.m. start time at Citrus College.

Stay up to date on all this season’s action by visiting COCAthletics.com and on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.