Canyons Again Fails in Bid to Clinch Share of Conference Title

A week ago, College of the Canyons enjoyed a 1 1/2-game lead in the Western State Conference baseball race with three games to play. All the Cougars needed was one victory to clinch a share of their 10th consecutive regular-season title.

But after Thursday’s 5-4 loss to Bakersfield, Coach Len Mohney finds his team facing a must-win situation in Saturday’s season finale at Valley. Canyons, Cuesta (a 9-3 winner over Ventura on Thursday) and Moorpark (idle Thursday), all go into Saturday’s play tied for first place with 14-5 conference records.

If all three win Saturday, creating a three-way tie atop the conference standings, the WSC’s traditional postseason tournament might be canceled and the WSC, which receives two automatic berths in the state playoffs, could petition for a third. But should only two teams win, resulting in a co-championship, the postseason possibilities become complicated.

“It’s a big circus we’ve gotten ourselves into,” Mohney said.

The drama did not last long Thursday as visiting Bakersfield scored four runs on five hits in the first inning and one more in the second to take a 5-0 lead against Mike Teich (6-1).

The Cougars clawed back with three runs in the third--two on Ron Robart’s two-run double--then pulled to within 5-4 on Steve Kovacic’s eighth home run, a solo shot in the fifth.

Teich, who strained a muscle in his pitching arm earlier this season, was making his first appearance in a month. And despite the results, Canyons assistant Chris Zavatsky was pleased with Teich’s four-inning effort.

“None of the balls were hit really hard,” Zavatsky said. “The ball found the holes.”