Cougars Share Conference Title After A Split With Antelope Valley

LANCASTER, Calif. – The College of the Canyons softball team split two games with Antelope Valley College on Tuesday afternoon to help the Cougars finish in a tie for first place in the Western State Conference, Blue Division, and win their third consecutive conference title. The Cougars finish the regular season with a 22-17 overall record and 17-4 WSC record. 

The Cougars finished in a tie with Citrus College (26-13, 16-4) and earns a berth to the California Community College Athletic Association Softball Southern Regional Playoffs behind the Owls, who has a better overall record.

Canyons will learns its playoff fate on Saturday, April 26 after the CCCAA Softball Seeding Meeting.

Game One
The COC softball team lost to Antelope Valley College, 9-6, in the first of two games against the Marauders.

The Cougars allowed two Marauder home runs, while leaving 13 runners on base in the loss.

Freshman Morgan Simmons (9-10) tossed 6.0 innings and gave up 13 hits and nine earned runs in the loss.

Ashley Sandoval-Colon, Karlee Bickford and Simmons collected two hits apiece. Simmons led the offensive attack going 2-of-3 on the day with a double, a RBI and a walk.

Game Two
In the second game of the day, Canyons held off a surging Antelope Valley team, to slip past the Marauders 3-2.

COC had a much stronger offensive game as the team tallied 11 hits, coupled with four Marauder errors, to help the Cougars win the game.

Third baseman Danielle Estrada led the team with two hits, including a double and a RBI. Bickford also collected two hits and garnered two walks in the win.

Milana Casillas (7-4) earned the win. The left-hander allowed two runs on two hits and struck out three in seven innings.