By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE — College of the Canyons claimed a lobsided 18-2 victory then came back for a tight 1-0 affair to sweep a road doubleheader at Riverside City College on Friday.

Canyons (3-1) scored in every frame, with five runs in each of the first three innings to completely take control vs. the host Tigers (1-3). 

Allyson Melgar flexed her muscle in the opener finishing 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs and eight RBIs. Her three-run shot in the first brought home Julia Fuentes and Lily Baggot to make it 5-0 in the early going. Prior to that it was Baggot with an RBI double and Ashlynn Heck with a run-scoring single. 

Riverside briefly made it a ballgame in the home half of the inning with a two-run home run of its own to cut the lead at 5-2. But the hot hitting continued for the Cougars in the next inning as Melgar brought home two more runs and Valery Ramirez recorded her first of three RBIs, then came around to score, pushing the lead further at 10-2.  

It was more of the same in the third with Baggot, Melgar and Ramirez combining to drive home five more runs. Melgar's second home run in the fifth brought home Fuentes and ended the scoring at 18-2.

Lost in the offensive highlights was COC starter Lexy Angulo (2-0) tossing five strong innings to get the win. She allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits and also issued a walk.

Ereka Gibbs (0-2) lasted the whole way for Riverside allowing 17 earned runs on 16 hits and five walks in the shortened five-inning game.

Top Performers – Game 1 (18-2 victory)

• Lexy Angulo — W (2-0), 5 IP, 6 H, BB, ER
• Lily Baggot — 3-for-4, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI
• Ashlynn Heck — 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Allyson Melgar — 3-for-3, 2 HR, sac-fly, 3 R, 8 RBI
• Memorie Muñoz — 1-for-2, BB, 3 R, RBI, 2 SB
• Valery Ramirez — 3-for-4, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI, SB

Canyons was forced to take the second outing into the eighth inning before emerging with a 1-0 victory.

COC led off the extra inning with back-to-back base runners. That's when Ari Soto's bunt attempt helped get a run across after the Tigers mishandled the fielder's choice play and pinch runner Schayln Rhambo came around to score at 1-0.

Melgar (1-1) pitched the full eight innings for Canyons earning the win after allowing just three hits and a lone walk to go with one strikeout.

Chloe Lockhart (1-1) was a hard luck loser for Riverside despite allowing the single unearned run. 

Top Performers – Game 2 (1-0 victory)

• Julia Fuentes — 1-for-3
• Ashlynn Heck — 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
• Allyson Melgar — W (1-1), 8 IP, 3 H, BB, K
• Schayln Rhambo — R
• Ari Soto — RBI

Upcoming Schedule

Canyons is back at Whitten Field for a doubleheader vs. Moorpark College on Thursday, Feb. 9. Those games are scheduled to start at 12 and 2 p.m.

COC then begins conference play vs. L.A. Mission College at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14.

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