Valencia High School alumnus Evan Jaquez played a big role in the College of the Canyons baseball team’s win on Tuesday.
The sophomore starting second baseman for Canyons hit a home run as part of a three-hit day Tuesday at COC before recording the save on the mound in what was just his second pitching appearance of the season, and first since Jan. 31.
The Cougars beat the L.A. Mission College Eagles, 8-7, with Jaquez belting his home run in the third inning to back up the first of two home runs on the day for sophomore catcher Frankie Malagon.
“It felt great,” Jaquez said. “You know, there was so many things that happened that my team did today that really helped me out. Frankie hitting two bombs was definitely a huge factor. So, it was a good team win today, for sure.”
It’s a win the Cougars (11-19, 5-8) needed ahead of Thursday’s second game of a three-game series against the Eagles (11-21, 6-7) as Canyons looks to make a playoff push with just eight games left in the regular season.
COC is in sixth place as of Wednesday afternoon in the Western State Conference, South Division, standings, three games behind Antelope Valley College in second place. Glendale College leads the division with a perfect 13-0 record in conference play.
“I think every game is going to be a must-win,” Jaquez said. “So, every game we got to play like it’s our last.”
Taking over on the mound for Saugus High School alumnus Derek Hughes in the top of the seventh inning on Tuesday, Jaquez got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam without allowing a run thanks to a double play that he started. A run scored off him in the top of the ninth to make it a one-run game, but some heads-up defensive work from the Cougars kept the Eagles from tying things up.
With runners at first and third and two outs, Mission’s Uriel Reyes tried to steal second and Barry Menjivar attempted to sneak home for the tying run on the throw down to second base, but the Cougars snuffed it out and caught Menjivar in a rundown. Jaquez ended up with the ball in his glove at the end of that play and recorded the final out after a few twists and turns from Menjivar.
“Definitely not the most common play that you see, but it’s not uncommon either, you know,” Malagon said. “It’s something that you definitely know is possibly going to happen. We’ve practiced it before, just we weren’t caught off guard. Great call-outs from our infielders, letting us know that guy was wheeling, Evan coming over to help out, and it was just getting this guy in the rundown. It was huge, and it was just a great way to end it.”
Canyons had to battle back from an early 2-0 deficit after Mission scored twice in the top of the first. But back-to-back three-run innings in the second and third for the Cougars saw them motor ahead and never give up the lead.
Malagon hit his second homer on Tuesday in the seventh inning, his team-leading 11th of the season and a solo shot that proved to be crucial with the Cougars ending up winning by just one.
“He’s been offensive for us all year, and hopefully he continues,” said Canyons head coach Chris Cota, a COC alumnus who is in the midst of his 24th season in charge of the Cougars and 35th overall as a coach for the program.
Malagon and Jaquez scored two of the seven runs for Canyons on Tuesday, while Valencia High School products Reid Farrell and Jose Mariano each scored once. Sophomore Andrew Sherrell also scored once.
Mariano leads the Cougars with 46 hits on the campaign, one ahead of Malagon. He also leads the team with 33 RBIs, two ahead of Malagon.
The Eagles were constantly a threat to score, led by leadoff hitter Drew Seidel, who racked up a double, a walk and two stolen bases to bring his conference-leading total to 42 on the campaign. That number is also good for tops in the entire California Community College Athletic Association, 14 more than the player behind Seidel.
COC and Mission are set to play on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Mission College in Sylmar before the two teams square off for the final time on Saturday at COC at 1 p.m.
