It was a rough day to be a Rio Hondo College pitcher. The Roadrunners hit the road to face a red hot College of the Canyons lineup and suffered a 19-2 non-conference loss in Santa Clarita on Friday.
After winning their first three games of the season, the Roadrunners have now lost two straight to fall to 3-2 overall.
Canyons showed no mercy to six Rio Hondo pitchers, banging out 20 hits in the game. All six gave up runs with starting pitcher Nick Juarez taking the loss to even his record at 1-1. He allowed four runs and eight hits over four innings. Juarez struck out four and walked three.
Canyons went up 3-0 after three innings before the Roadrunners got on the board with a two-run, fourth-inning. With two outs and runners at second and third, Tyler Wadsworth lined a clutch single to drive in Jimmy Portillo and Sal Tabullo.
But that would be all for Rio Hondo. Canyons (2-4) added a run in the bottom of the fourth and blew the game open with eight runs in the fifth.
Portillo (2 for 2, 1 BB, 1 R) and Tabullo (2 for 4, 1 R) both had two hits to lead the Roadrunners at the plate.
Rio Hondo will look to get back on track when the Roadrunners return to action on Wednesday (Feb. 13) when they host Citrus College in a 2 p.m. non-conference game.