College of the Canyons softball moved its current win streak to three games after taking two from host Riverside City College during a Friday, Feb. 21 non-conference doubleheader.

Canyons (8-3) has now posted sweeps in three of its four doubleheaders to begin the season. The Cougars have also won five contests in a run-shortened five inning format. The pair of victories moved COC’s road mark to 4-2 on the year.

In the opener, Canyons jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage on a Grace Dias two-run single, then proceeded to score at least a run in each of the next four innings.

COC starter Nichole Muro (4-2) went the full five innings, allowing just the one run on three hits. She fanned five batters and walked one. At the plate, Muro clubbed a pair of home runs with a solo shot in the second and a two-run bomb in the fourth.

In between Muro’s exploits, Dias added another RBI single and Canyons was off and running at 6-0 through four innings.

In the fifth, Avery Alvarez, Paige Pikor and Skylar Vanole all drove in runs.

Conversely, Riverside didn’t get on the board until plating a last gasp run in the fifth. RCC starter Jessica Gaitan (1-5) took the loss after allowing six runs across the first four innings.

The Tigers kept things closer in the second affair but were still bested by Canyons in a 7-5 final score.

This time it was the Cougars building an early lead and then holding on against a late charging Riverside lineup.

Akane Gonzalez (4-1) got the call to the circle for Canyons and eventually earned the win. She tossed five innings and surrendered three runs, one earned, with a walk. Gabby Wensley later came on for two innings of relief allowing a pair of runs, one earned, with two walks and two strikeouts.

Skylar Vanole‘s RBI double and Brooke Petretti‘s run-scoring sac-fly combined to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead in the first.

In the second COC manufactured an unearned run and then saw Petretti bring home another on an RBI base hit in the third to give the Cougars a 4-1 cushion.

Jeniece Jimenez, who scored three runs in the opener, brought in two more with a big base hit in the fifth. Later, Pikor’s single brought in Jimenez to end the outburst at 7-1.

Riverside answered right back with a pair of runs in the fifth and made it a 7-4 ballgame after an unearned run in the sixth. The Tigers added one more in the seventh but ended the inning with two runners stranded at 7-5.

Top Performers Game 1, W (10-1)

Avery Alvarez, 1-for-3, RBI

Grace Dias, 2-for-3, 3 RBI

Jeniece Jimenez, 0-for-1, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 SB

Nichole Muro, W (4-2), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 5 K / 2-for-3, BB, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R

Skylar Vanole, 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI

Top Performers Game 2, W (7-5)

Akane Gonzalez, W (41), 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, ER, BB

Yahali Gonzalez, 1-for-2, 2 BB, 2 R

Jeniece Jimenez, 2-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, SB

Paige Pikor, 1-for-3, RBI, SB

Skylar Vanole, 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 SB

Upcoming Schedule

Canyons will look to continue its doubleheader trend with a trip to Cuesta College on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m.

The Cougars return home Friday, Feb. 28, with Santa Ana College coming to town for another non-conference doubleheader. Those contests are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m. and will be broadcast to fans free of charge on the Cougar Sports Network.

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.