By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

No. 15 College of the Canyons split its home doubleheader vs. No. 19 Santiago Canyon College on Saturday, with the Cougars falling 6-2 in the opener before storming back to claim a 9-4 victory in the finale. 

Canyons (9-3, 3-1) has now won three of its last four, including a conference win vs. Glendale College earlier in the week. Saturday's games were originally scheduled to take place at Santiago Canyon (6-8, 0-2) but had to be relocated due to field conditions brought about by recent weather.

The doubleheader vs. Santiago Canyon (6-8, 0-2) represented a rematch of the Lady Cougars' 2022 CCCAA SoCal Regional Playoff series, which the Hawks took in a 2-1 series edge. 

SCC looked to continue that trend in the opener with a 6-2 victory that came at the expense of Canyons pitcher Lexy Angulo (3-1). The freshman was charged with six runs, four earned, on nine hits and a pair of walks. She surrendered a home run and recorded three strikeouts.

Hawks' starter Brooke Owens (3-4) walked six batters but was good enough to get the win for her seven innings of work. She allowed five hits alongside five strikeouts. Owens was also a force at the plate going 2-for-4 with a triple, a double a run and an RBI. 

The two sides exchanged two-run jabs in the first inning but the Canyons lineup could do no further damage, while Santiago managed to plate runs in each of the first four frames. 

Julia Fuentes recorded an RBI-groundout that scored Schalyn Rhambo. Later in the inning it was Lily Baggot with an infield single that scored Ashlynn Heck.

Top Performers — Game 1 (6-2 loss)

• Lily Baggot — 2-for-3, RBI
• Julia Fuentes – 0-for-3, BB, RBI
• Schalyn Rhambo – 0-for-2, 2 BB, R
• Alyssa Silva — 2-for-4, 2B

Canyons bounced back in the afternoon affair behind a seven-run fifth inning that put the Cougars in control for the duration. 

Once again it was the two teams exchanging two-run innings to get the scoring started in the second inning. Santiago Canyon then opened a 4-2 advantage in the fourth on a two-run error by the Cougars.

But in the fifth it was all Cougars, coming first with an RBI-single from Fuentes. Then, with the bases loaded, Allyson Melgar cleared the deck with a three-run double to right-center that gave Canyons a 6-4 lead. 

Baggot added an RBI of her own to bring home Melgar before Sofia Trujillo added two more with a run-scoring double of her own. 

Melgar (6-2) also started in the circle, pitching the whole way to collect her third straight win. She allowed four runs, three earned, on 10 hits and a walk.

Again, it was Owens with the ball for Santiago Canyon, this time taking the loss after four and 2/3 innings and eight runs, six earned, on seven hits and two walks. 

Canyons began the week as the No. 15 ranked team in the state and the No. 9 team in Southern California according to the most recent California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association (3CFCA) rankings. Santiago Canyon was No. 19 in the state and No. 10 in the region.

Top Performers — Game 2 (9-4 victory)

• Lily Baggot — 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Julia Fuentes – 1-for-3, BB, R, RBI
• Allyson Melgar – 2-for-3, BB, 2 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI / W (6-2), 7 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K
• Memorie Muñoz— 1-for-3, R
• Sofia Trujillo — 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI

Upcoming Schedule 

Western State Conference (WSC), East Division play continues for Canyons on Tuesday, March 7 at Antelope Valley College for a 2:30 p.m. start time.  

COC is back at Whitten Field vs. L.A. Mission College on Thursday, March 9 at 2:30 p.m.

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 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

—Photo by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information