Pierce Overcomes Canyons to Move Into Tie for Lead

In one afternoon, the Pierce College baseball team went from the pit to the pinnacle.

Before the second inning was complete, Pierce was trailing by six runs, its ace had been knocked out of the game, the bases were loaded, and the Brahmas were playing on a Canyons field on which they had not won since 1975.

Reliever Juan Soriano escaped the bases-loaded jam, but it seemed only a temporary reprieve.

Like a damsel being snatched from the tracks ahead of the speeding train, though, a rejuvenated Pierce came back to win, 13-10, Tuesday and gain a share of first place in the Western State Conference.

With two conference games to play, Pierce is tied with Cuesta at 12-6. Cuesta lost to Ventura, 16-8, Tuesday.

Canyons, which has a bye Saturday, is a half-game behind at 12-7. Pierce, which won the Metro Conference title in 1975, is on the verge of its first WSC championship.

“It’s probably one of the great wins for Pierce baseball in quite a while,” said Pierce co-Coach Bob Lofrano, whose team has won eight of its past nine conference games.

Canyons (17-17-1) hit a home run and two doubles off Pierce starter Travis Arsenault in the first two innings, but the Temple of Boom turned into the Temple of Gloom for the Cougars. They were outscored, 13-4, thereafter and were dealt a serious blow in their quest for their 11th consecutive conference championship.

“In the last two weeks, we’ve been like a cat,” Canyons Coach Len Mohney said of the conference. “We’ve had about eight lives, and I don’t see any more coming.”

Pierce’s comeback began rather innocuously when Joe Arnold hit a solo home run in the third inning to dent Canyons’ lead.

In the top of the fifth, Pat Huston hit a majestic three-run home run to cut Canyons’ lead to 6-4.

“We were down when (Arsenault) got hit, but we didn’t give up,” said Huston, who drove in five runs, scored twice and was three for three.

Canyons scored a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Pierce (19-12) took the lead for good with five runs in the sixth. Pierce scored all five runs with two out.

Joe Cascione’s three-run home run capped the rally and put Pierce ahead, 9-7.

Carl McFadden finished Canyons off in the seventh.

He drove in two runs with a two-out, two-strike single and then scored Pierce’s final run by stealing home. McFadden’s steal gave Pierce a 13-8 lead.

Soriano (2-0) allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings and earned the victory. Pierce pitchers were backed by four double plays.

WSC STANDINGS

School Won Lost GB PCT Pierce 12 6 - .667 Cuesta 12 6 - .667 Canyons 12 7 1/2 .632 Oxnard 11 7 1 .611 Glendale 11 7 1 .611 Ventura 9 9 3 .500 Santa Barbara 9 9 3 .500 Santa Monica 7 11 5 .389 Bakersfield 7 11 5 .389 Moorpark 6 12 6 .333 Valley 4 15 8 1/2 .211

Tuesday’s Results Pierce 13, Canyons 10 Ventura 16, Cuesta 8 Moorpark 3, Oxnard 2 Santa Monica 5, Valley 2 Glendale 6, Santa Barbara 2

Thursday’s Schedule Canyons at Bakersfield Glendale at Pierce Oxnard at Cuesta Santa Monica at Moorpark Ventura at Santa Barbara