Canyons Tops Harbor to Advance in Regionals

Mike Bible inscribed his name in another chapter of College of the Canyons’ 10-year-old rivalry with L.A. Harbor College on Sunday.

After Canyons had dropped the second game of a three-game series, 13-11, on Sunday morning, Bible hit a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Cougars to a come-from-behind 9-7 win in the final of the Southern California regional playoffs.

Canyons (32-8-1) moves on to the state finals at San Jose next weekend, where the Cougars will try to defend their state title in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.

“I lost my cool,” said Bible, who earlier in the game let the taunting of Harbor pitcher Jim Hudson get to him. “I felt he was cocky out there. The guy was effective. He was great all day long. But, I wanted it so bad. We all wanted it so bad.”

Hudson (12-5) started both games on Sunday. He left the opener with a 12-2 lead to rest for the second game, but the strategy almost backfired as Canyons staged a six-run, ninth-inning rally.

In the series final, Hudson went into the eighth with a 7-4 lead before Canyons launched its rally.

“This is definitely my most satisfying moment ever,” said Bible, who had just one hit in nine prior plate appearances in the double-header. “It was a dream come true. I am playing with a great bunch of guys and was not ready to finish up the season.”