No. 11 Canyons Suffers 7-6 Road Loss to Antelope Valley
No. 11 College of the Canyons dropped a tight 7-6 ballgame to conference rival Antelope Valley College on Thursday in Lancaster.
The loss snapped COC's unbeaten streak at eight games. The Cougars had not lost since an 8-7 home defeat at the hands of Southwestern College back on Feb. 22.
Canyons (12-3-1, 3-1) came up with 11 hits in the game, and made things interesting with a two-run rally in top half of the seventh, but ultimately came up short.
The loss was also the first of the season for starter Alexis Ramirez (8-1) who was unable to find her rhythm vs. the Marauders.
Antelope Valley (16-5, 4-0) got to Ramirez for five runs on nine hits and three walks before the sophomore hurler handed the ball to freshman Katie Taix for the final two innings. Taix was charged with two runs, one earned, while striking out two.
The Marauders took a 4-0 lead in the second inning and never relinquished their advantage, also adding runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
COC freshman Melanie Abzun roped a line drive home run to right field in the third inning which scored Katie Clinkunbroomer to cut the lead in half at 4-2.
The next Canyons run came in the fifth inning on Azmarheen Anderson's RBI double that brought Alexis Avila around to score and cut it to a 7-3 AVC lead.
In the next inning Clinkunbroomer's RBI single made it 7-4. She finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Anderson slugged a solo home run to lead off the seventh inning and give the Cougars new life in a 7-5 ballgame.
After back-to-back singles from Danielle Chatman and Micayla Aguilar, Sienna Vannoy loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Taix later reached on a fielder's choice that brought home another run. But from there the COC rally fizzled out.
Trailing 7-6, the Cougars were not able to get the tying run home.
Anderson finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Canyons will next host Riverside City College in a home doubleheader Saturday, March 18. Games are scheduled to begin at 1 and 3 p.m.