Canyons Begins Layoff When It Needs It Least

College of the Canyons is starting to resemble the team that won the community college state championship last year. The pitching and the hitting seem to have come together and the Cougars have a two-game winning streak to show for it. Unfortunately, Canyons has a nine-day break until its next game, its Western State League opener.

“I’m looking forward to our league opener,” Canyons Coach Len Mohney said. “I’ll just have to keep the guys bouncing around for nine days.”

Mohney and his Cougars got an early start on their bouncing Thursday by pounding out 17 hits in a 9-2 victory over Taft College at Taft.

Andy Cutchall went 4 for 4, including a double and a home run, to lead the Cougars (4-3). Mark Gieseke had three hits, including a double and a triple, and Teddy Weisfuss had three hits and three RBIs. Weisfuss also hit a two-run homer and, in the eighth inning, stole home with two outs.

Pitcher Tom Nedin struck out 11 before giving way to Fred Riscen in the eighth.

Canyons led, 3-2, but broke the game open with three runs in the eighth and three in the ninth.

In the top of the eighth, Mark Gisek singled, went to second on an error by the left fielder--one of four by Taft--and Weisfuss singled him home. Weisfuss then stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice, then stole home. The next inning Weisfuss hit a towering two-run homer to put the game out of reach.

So now Canyons must be content to practice and hope to keep intact the consistency it recently has cultivated.

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS--Nedin, Riscen (9) and Bible.

TAFT COLLEGE--Slotten, Rudhe (8) and Gonzalez.

WP--Nedin (1-0); LP--Slotten (0-2).

2B: Canyons--Pieper, Gieseke, Cutchall, Picketts. 3B: Canyons--Gieseke. HR: Canyons--Cutchall(2), Weisfuss(1).