Hit and Miss

Glendora, CA -- The Citrus College Baseball team picked up another win on Thursday afternoon when they hosted visiting West Los Angeles College. It was hit and miss for the Owls. Citrus struck out seven times and recorded just two hits, but took advantage of being hit three times and three wild pitches to eke out the 3-1 win against the Wildcats.

West LA got on the board first, opening the game up with a single up the left field line, and successfully executing a hit and run with a double to right field in the next at bat.

After giving up those first two hits and solo run, Citrus starting pitcher Matt Fitzgerald settled in nicely. Fitzgerald induced a fielder's choice ground out, then got a break when starting catcher and sophomore Keith Cooper threw out a runner trying to steal second, and finally a groundout to end the inning and any other threat. From that point forward, Fitzgerald never let a runner get past second base, and only let a runner reach second once over his next seven and two-thirds innings worth of work.

With Fitzgerald mowing down the opposing batters, the offense bided it's time looking for the right opportunity to strike. Those opportunities were few and far between, but they did present themselves in particular situations. The first of which, came in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore William Ouellette got on base thanks to a fielder's choice, and moved to second thanks to a ground ball to the first base side from Cooper.

Standing on second base, Ouellette got to third, after West LA pitcher Haechun Jung tried to pick him off at second, but instead sailed the throw into center field. Standing on third, Ouellette was joined on the base paths by freshman Matthew Reynoso shortly thereafter, as he drew a five pitch walk. That's when the Owls got tricky, carrying out a double-steal to perfection, scoring Ouellette after the Wildcats tried to get Reynoso at second.

Tied at 1-1, the Owls took the lead for themselves in the next inning. Sophomore Blake James started the inning off with Citrus' first hit of the game a single to right field. Freshman Brandon Benson got himself on in the next AB after wearing a pitch from Jung. With runners on first and second, Jung threw three wild pitches over the course of the next two at bats, scoring both James and Benson to make it 3-1 Citrus.

That's all the offense the Owls mustered, and really all they needed. Citrus did put a runner on second in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but each time the runner ended the inning at second base.

Meanwhile, Fitzgerald continued to cruise. Fitz faced the minimum between the fourth and seventh innings. After getting two outs in the eighth, Fitzgerald gave way to freshman Ryan Ponder who induced a ground out in his second pitch to end the inning.

In the ninth, West LA threatened. The Wildcats led the inning off with a single to center and double up the left field line to put runners on second and third with no outs. The game ended shortly thereafter though, in one of the more wild endings of the year.

With the next batter at the plate, Ponder induced a short fly to left field. Freshman Jonathon Reynoso made a diving catch in left and then threw the runner at second base out, as he got caught trying to head to third. After throwing the runner out at second, the Owls tossed the ball over to third and the runner on third was called out after leaving early, ending the game in an unusual 7-6-1-5 triple play.

With the win, Citrus improves to 11-15 overall and 6-10 in Western State Conference South play. The Owls, who have now won three straight conference game, their longest such streak of the season, will try and keep it going on Saturday when they host SoCal #4 Bakersfield College. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.