Bobcats race past Cougars in opener

The Saddleback baseball team opened the 2025 campaign with a 16-9 win over College of the Canyons on Friday at the Saddleback Field.  The Bobcats will head to Canyons on Saturday for game two of the season.

Saddleback opened its title defense with a dominating win on Friday.  The Bobcats got some help from Canyons as the Cougars committed six errors on the afternoon.  Saddleback took advantage of the errors with 16 hits, including a pair of home runs.

Rodrigo Barajas hit the opening homer of the game for Saddleback in the bottom half of the third inning to put the Bobcats up 4-2.  James Derflinger (pictured) blasted the second of the game for Saddleback in the bottom half of the sixth inning to give the Bobcats a 14-6 advantage.

Ruben Rodriguez and Jacob Beauchaine led Saddleback with three hits apiece for the game.  Dmitri Susidko reached base three times, finishing 1-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases.

Saddleback started Jack Wade on the mound and the first five outs he recorded were strikeouts.  Wade would end up pitching 3.2 innings and striking out eight before giving way to Jace Barajas.  Barajas pitched through the sixth inning in picking up his first win of the season.  Saddleback would end up throwing four pitchers on the day, striking out 12 Cougar hitters along the way.

Saddleback is now 1-0 to start the season.  The Bobcats and Cougars will play again on Saturday at Canyons.  The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM in Santa Clarita.

Friday's game started with a presentation of the championship trophy along with the unveiling of the 20204 state champions banner on the left field wall (below).