Colts win 9th straight, beat Hartnell 5-4

SALINAS – Cañada College extended its season-long winning streak to nine games with its 5-4 victory at Hartnell College on Thursday. With the win, the Colts closed out a two-game Coast Conference interdivision series sweep of the Panthers.

Cañada is currently one of the hottest teams in the state. Only Fresno City College, winners of 10 straight, has a longer active winning streak. Since opening the season at 1-6, the Colts' impressive run has improved their overall record to 10-6.

Since falling 12-10 to Santa Rosa Junior College on Feb. 10, Cañada has swept a pair of three-game series from Shasta College and Laney College, took two from Hartnell, and added a win at College of Marin.

On Thursday, the Colts jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after John Paul Avila hit a two-run single in the top of the first inning. Hartnell responded by scoring three times in the bottom of the frame to go out in front 3-2. Three errors by the Colts led to all three runs being unearned, charged to starter Brady Greene.

He settled down after the first, allowing no runs the rest of the way. Greene ended his afternoon after tossing 5 2/3 innings while scattering 5 hits on his way to the win.

At the plate, Avila led Cañada with 3 RBI. He drove in the go-ahead run in the third while Max Ross' sacrifice fly in the seventh brough in an insurance run.

Ross was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI, 2 runs, and a pair of stolen bases.

The Colts will look to keep the momentum going on Saturday (March 2) at 1 p.m. when they host Gavilan College in a Coast interdivision game.