2018 Baseball Campaign Ends With Loss To Glendale

The Citrus Baseball team saw its 2018 season come to an end Friday when it lost the final regular season game to Glendale College, who consequently sealed up the WSC East conference title. The Owls dropped the contest 4-5, despite a short lived run in the bottom of the 8th that almost tied it up. 

The game was a close one from the start, with both teams going scoreless until each manufactured two-run 4th inning at bats. The Owls' 2 runs in the 4th came off of a Jesse Villalobos homer that knocked in catcher Teppei Fukuda. The homer tied the score going into the 5th inning. 

The Owls would strike again in the 6th when they scraped together a run with a Donovyn Curiel walk and stolen base and a Kristian Scott single that scored Curiel from 2nd. The Owls would look back at the 2 runners left on base to end the inning though as a big factor in the final result. 

Glendale answered immediately in the 7th with another 2 run inning, adding the cherry on top in the 8th with one more, making the score 5-3 going into the bottom of the 8th. Citrus came at Glendale with everything it could to put together 2 runs but fell short, scoring 1 and leaving the winning run on base.

Glendale's closer sealed the deal on the Owls in the 9th, ending Citrus's season and putting an exclamation point on the season series sweep of the Owls. 

Citrus ends the season with a 22-18 overall record and 11-9 conference mark. The Owls end up in the #3 spot in the WSC East. 

Citrus was one of the top ranked offensive teams in the state this year, appearing in the top 10 in team hitting stats throughout the year. The Owls end the regular season ranked 1st in the state in doubles (97); 2nd in extra base hits (144); 4th in total bases (659); 6th in slugging percentage (.459); 8th in home runs (33) and 10th in at bats (1,435). 

Several individuals also had outstanding statistical performances for the Owls. Alexis Paz is currently ranked #3 in the state in hits (68); 8th in at bats (174) and 17th in total bases (96). Thomas Chavez is 3rd in at bats (176) and 16th in hits (62). Kristian Scott is 13th in doubles (16) and Owl ace pitcher Sir Jordan Gomez is 5th in the state in strikeouts (94) and wins (10).