No. 13 Canyons Gets 7-3 Road Win at Citrus

GLENDORA, Calif.— Fresh off a victory in its thrilling conference opener, the No. 13 ranked College of the Canyons baseball team completed a comeback scoring five runs in the top of the ninth inning to earn a road victory over No. 20 Citrus College 7-3 on Thursday afternoon.

COC starting pitcher J.C. Cloney (3-3) pitched eight strong innings for head coach Chris Cota to earn his third victory of the season. Cloney allowed five hits, three runs – two earned runs – and fanned six batters.

Down 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning, the Cougars looked to start a comeback. COC outfielder Roy Verdejo lined a double to left center field, bringing in Colton Burns to score and to cut the Citrus lead to one. 

The Cougars would finish the comeback – and even more – in the top of the ninth, as the Cougars scored took a 4-3 lead on a Jose Haros single to center field scoring Cole Mears and Chris Devery.

Haros finished the game going 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. On the season, Haros is batting .350 with 15 RBIs.

After a Dylan Freyre single, Verdejo continued his remarkable first half of the season when he doubled home two more runs scoring Haros and Burns to give COC a 6-3 lead. Verdejo knocked in three RBIs in the game.

With Thursday's 2-for-5 performance Verdejo is now batting .429 through 14 games and leads the team in home runs, RBI and batting average. Verdejo has collected a hit in all but one of games he's played in this season.

COC pitcher Jase Young entered in the bottom of the ninth and faced four batters, allowing a hit and stricking out two to wrap up the game.

The win brings COC's record to 9-5 overall and 2-0 in its first two Western State Conference matchups.

COC's next game matches them up against L.A. Valley College at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Cougar Field.