Cougars Club Pair of Home Runs, Hang on for 8-7 Win Over Oxnard

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

College of the Canyons was able to hold off a late-inning comeback bid from Oxnard College to get past the Condors 8-7 at Mike Gillespie Field on Tuesday.

Canyons (6-8) has alternated wins and losses over its last three games scoring 32 runs in the process. The win vs. Oxnard (2-12) comes on the heels of COC's 14-10 home loss at Santa Ana College over the weekend.

The Cougars were forced into a comeback bid of its own after falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first. Liam Ostrom's two-run blast in the bottom of the frame put Canyons back in the ballgame.

In the third, Ostrom singled in a run before Michael Hogen lifted off on a two-run home run of his own to give COC a 5-4 advantage. Hogen stayed involved with an RBI single in the fifth to put the score at 6-4.

Ostrom finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs and three RBIs. Hogen was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Reid Farrell's RBI single in the sixth and another run-scoring base hit from Mathew Perez seemed to put Canyons firmly in control at 8-4.

COC starter Tyler Hawn (3-1) tossed 5 and 2/3 innings allowing three earned runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts to earn the win. 

The Condors were able to plate a pair of runs in the eighth off Canyons reliever Colby Lipp. The Cougars would later hand the ball to Ricky Sturm who allowed a solo home run in the ninth but was able to hang on for his second save of the season.

Canyons begins a two-game set with Cypress College (10-4) Thursday on the road, with the action shifting back to Gillespie Field on Friday for a 1p.m. first pitch.

Friday's game will be livestreamed to fans free of charge via YouTube on the Cougars Sports Network.

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 X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. 

—Photo by Carla Sophia Velasco/COC Sports Information