Canyons’ Power Surge Shocks Visiting Valley

Identifying entertainment look-alikes for sports figures has become a popular pastime.

How about this one: College of the Canyons baseball Coach Len Mohney and actor Wilford Brimley, one of the stars of “Cocoon”?

Not only does Mohney look like Brimley, but his baseball team has been suddenly rejuvenated with new-found power, not unlike the characters in the popular movie.

Take, for example, the Cougars’ 9-3 Western State Conference victory Saturday over visiting Valley, in which Canyons hammered two home runs, including a grand slam by Steve Kovacic.

The pair of blasts came on the heels of three Canyons home runs Thursday and another two Tuesday. The Cougars have 28 home runs, with seven coming last week. It’s as if the team discovered some sort of fountain of power.

“I sure would love to see it continue,” Brimley, uh, Mohney said.

Kovacic’s third-inning slam was all the offense Canyons (16-7, 8-2 in conference play) needed against Valley (8-15-2, 4-6).

The Cougars had taken a 1-0 lead two batters earlier when Gary Morgan squeezed home Ron Robart, whose one-out single was the first hit off Valley’s Colin Hines (1-2). Hines fielded Morgan’s bunt and threw wildly to the plate.

J. R. Trujillo followed with a walk, loading the bases (Charlie Fowlks had drawn a walk earlier), and Kovacic picked on Hines’ first delivery, sending it over the fence in left-center field for a 5-0 Canyons lead. It was Kovacic’s third homer of the season, all in the last week and a half.

Valley, which outhit Canyons, 11-8, retaliated with three runs in the top of the fourth off Cougar left-hander Mike Teich.

Joe Ishikawa led off with a double and, after Vladimir Pacjin reached base on a dropped third strike, Ishikawa scored on Chris Greenamyer’s single to center. Chad Ratliff bunted for a hit, and Ed Aguilar followed with a two-run single to left.

Teich (6-0) held the Monarchs scoreless over the next four innings before Jason Farrell mopped up in the ninth. Teich, a sophomore, struck out four, walked three, and allowed 11 Valley hits.

Canyons added two more runs in the fifth when Billy Horvat doubled home Josh Bergara, then scored himself on Robart’s single.

The Cougars’ final two runs came in the seventh when Mike Kerber led off with his second home run of the season, and Horvat knocked in Jon Beauchemin from third with a sacrifice fly to center.

Canyons, which entered the game tied with Moorpark and Cuesta for first place in the WSC, has won four of its past five, including its past three.