No. 8 Canyons Wins Gm 1 at No. 3 Saddleback College

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — The No. 8 ranked College of the Canyons softball team held off a furious late-inning Saddleback College comeback attempt winning 10-8 in a seven-inning thriller in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Friday afternoon.

The Cougars found themselves down a run by in the third inning, but a Cheyenne Steward grand slam in the top of the fifth put COC ahead for the first time.

Canyons would erupt for seven runs total putting the No. 3 ranked Gauchos on their collective heels.

Steward finished the game going 2-for-4, hitting her second home run of the season with four RBI and two runs scored. Steward is ranked second on the team with 15 RBIs on the season. 

COC starting pitcher Milana Casillas cruised into the late innings, but couldn't get the final two outs and exited after six and 1/3 innings of work. Saddleback scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to COC throwing errors that extended the game for the Gauchos.

Casillas would be credited with her third win of the season while allowing six runs – five earned ­­– and 11 hits. 

COC catcher Lauren Anderson extended her hitting streak to 11 games after lining a double to left field in the top of the fourth inning. Anderson finished the game going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Anderson leads the team in batting average sporting a .625 average in 12 games. She is fourth on the team with 12 RBI on the season.

The victory in Game 1 gave the Cougars a 9-2-1 record on the season heading into the second game of the doubleheader later that afternoon.