Cougars Wrap Series vs. West L.A. with 18-2 Victory

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director  

College of the Canyons wrapped its three-game series with West L.A. College in an 18-2 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday at Mike Gillespie Field.

Canyons (8-11, 2-1) ended any hopes of a West L.A. (5-15, 1-2) comeback bid by posting an eight-run eighth inning. That outburst capped a span in which the Cougars scored 12 unanswered runs between the sixth and eighth innings.

COC took two of three games, with both victories coming at home, in what was the Western State Conference (WSC), South Division opener for the two squads. West L.A. managed to hold on for  9-8 victory during Thursday's game in Culver City.

The Cougars received six brilliant innings from starter Kevin Foderaro who earned his first win of the season for his efforts. Forderaro (1-4) scattered five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. He allowed two runs, but just one earned, in facing 28 batters.

Canyons trailled 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning but quickly got back on track. Reid Farrell's bases-loaded walk finally put the Cougars on the board and was quickly followed by a two-run single from Michael Hogen. After Travis Van Ness brought home two more with an RBI single of his own COC was back on top at 5-1.

Farrell finished the game 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, two RBIs and three walks.

Hogen led the Cougars with five RBIs on a 3-for-5 day that included a walk and two runs. 

Van Ness joined the multi-hit club with a 2-for-5 outing, including a walk, three RBIs and a run scored.

Canyons tacked on a run in the fourth when Ben Strutt swiped home as part of a double steal. Strut stole two bases, tied for the team lead with three hits and scored three times. His RBI single in the seventh put COC ahead 10-2.

Liam Ostrom's RBI double in the eighth moved the game to 17-2 before Hogen ended the scoring with a base hit through the left side in what proved to be the final run-scoring sequence of the game.

Joey Besemer and Jacob Bond both recorded a pair of hits with an RBI and two runs scored. Bond was also marked for a pair of sacrifices. In all, the Cougars pounded out 17 hits on the day.

West L.A. starter Oscar Diaz took the loss. He allowed nine earned runs in his five and 1/3 innings on the mound, issuing four walks with one strikeout. Third baseman Nicholas Jacobo was the only Wildcat with multiple hits.

COC remains home to take on Glendale College with the series opener scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10. The series shifts to Glendale on Thursday with Friday's series finale back at Mike Gillespie Field for a 2 p.m. start.

Friday's game will be live streamed 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