Canyons Answers Call to Arms, 11-3

VALENCIA —  Score one for College of the Canyons in the arms race.

Entering Friday’s first game in a best-of-three Southern California Regional series against Cerritos, the Canyons pitching staff seemed overmatched by their counterparts, who sported a team earned-run average of 2.67.

The Cougars, and especially Jim McNeel, apparently weren’t impressed.

McNeel pitched a strong 7 2/3 innings and the Cougars used a six-run fourth inning to defeat Cerritos, 11-3, at Canyons.

The teams meet today at 11 a.m. with a third game, if necessary, to follow. The series winner advances to the second round next weekend.

“McNeel pitched his butt off,” said Len Mohney, Canyons’ coach. “We’ve played real well behind Jim all year.”

They definitely did against Cerritos.

Canyons (32-13) turned four double plays, including one with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning, to support McNeel (8-2). The right-hander allowed 12 hits, struck out four and walked none, and forced Cerritos (29-13-3) into 15 groundouts.

“You’ve got to play defense in the playoffs and you’ve got to play defense against a team like [Cerritos],” Mohney said.

McNeel gave up two runs in the seventh on four hits and an error, and one more in the eighth on Dan Harkey’s home run, before giving way to Wayne Mahaffey two batters later.

His performance lent credibility, at least temporarily, to a Canyons pitching corps that had a 5.58 ERA in Western State Conference play.

No one doubted, though, that the Cougars could hit. Eight of their position players batted .319 or better in WSC action, led by catcher Jesse Daggett (.427), shortstop Hiram Damwijk (.420) and designated hitter David Soto (.422).

They got to right-hander Mikie Garcia (5-3) for one run in the first when Damwijk’s sacrifice fly to left scored Rob Rehfeld with one out, and they exploded for six more in the fourth for a 7-0 lead.

Daggett reached on an error by shortstop Dave Mercado to lead off the fourth and scored on Dan Bir’s one-out double to right-center field. Damwijk, the WSC Southern Division player of the year, provided the big blow with a two-out, two-run double over center fielder Mike Bumstead.

Soto’s home run in the fifth gave Canyons an 8-0 lead and knocked out Garcia, who entered the game with a 1.95 ERA.

The Cougars added three runs in the eighth against John Marifian--two on Kasey Canale’s home run.