Baseball: Rio Hondo still looking for first win after loss at Canyons

The tough start to the 2016 season for the Rio Hondo College Baseball team continued on Tuesday as the Roadrunners suffered an 8-3 non-conference loss at College of the Canyons. Rio Hondo dropped to 0-5 overall, the worst start to a season in recent memory.

Canyons (4-0) totaled 13 hits, including five for extra bases. Roy Verdejo and Anthony Lepre both smacked solo homeruns for the Cougars.

Rio Hondo trailed early, but rallied for three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a short-lived 3-2 lead. Mike Hernandez hit a two-run single to drive in R.J. Romo and Mauricio Guadarrama while a Canyons error with two outs allowed Hernandez to score.

Canyons tied up the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth and went ahead for good after scoring a pair of runs in the sixth.

Roadrunner starting pitcher Joe Wills allowed five runs and 10 hits over six innings. He struck out eight and walked none. Anthony Franco closed out the ball game and allowed three runs and three hits over two innings of work.

Hernandez went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI to lead Rio Hondo at the plate while Romo and Randy Buenrostro also had two hits.

Rio Hondo returns home for a non-conference game on Thursday (Feb. 11) when the Roadrunners host San Diego Mesa College at 2 p.m.