Cougars Take Third Straight in 5-3 win vs. L.A. Mission
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | X | 5 | 8 | 1 |
By Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information
College of the Canyons edged L.A. Mission by a 5-3 final score in a back-and forth game that ensured the Cougars a win in the best-of-three conference series.
Canyons (10-10, 4-1) improved to .500 for the first time this season, having also previously triumphed over L.A. Mission (13-8, 3-2) in a 9-3 road victory on Tuesday. COC has now won three straight, and four of its last five, with all games coming against Western State Conference (WSC), South Division opponents.
Tafton Hensley and Mikey Kane were instrumental in leading the Cougars to victory, backed by strong pitching performances from Brandon Whiting and Josh Yosfan.
Whiting kept LAMC contained for the first three innings before permitting one run in the fourth that led to a 1-0 Eagles' lead.
Keeping the same efficiency, Yosfan (3-1) stepped on the mound and worked the final 5 1/3 innings to close out the game and earn the win.
COC tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Hensley teed off on his first home run of the game.
A quiet few innings crescendoed into a two-run home run from Kane in the seventh and an additional home run from Hensley in the eighth. Hensley is leading the team with six home runs and Kane right behind him with four.
COC tacked on its last run when Jovan Camacho scored on a passed ball.
A home run by Mission's Kevin Olmos in the top of the ninth brought a little fervor to the Eagles bench, but Yosfan put that to rest with a quick two final outs to end the ball game at 5-3.
Top Performers
- Tafton Hensley – 2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
- Mikey Kane – 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
- Steven Gonzalez – 1-for-3, BB, 2B, R
- Andy Ambriz – 0-for-1, 3 BB
- Josh Yosfan – W, 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 R, 5 Ks
Upcoming Schedule
The series concludes in Sylmar on Friday, March 18, with first pitch at 1 p.m. The Cougars then begin their home-away-home conference series vs. Antelope Valley College on Tuesday, March 22, at 2:30 p.m.
Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
—Photo by Kyle Kawamoto/COC Sports Information
