Owls Top Roadrunners Again

Whittier, CA -- For the fifth time in seven contests against local rival Rio Hondo College, the Citrus College Baseball team came out on top. The Owls scored just three runs, but it was more than enough as three Owl pitchers combined to shut down in the Roadrunners, in what was a 3-2 win for Citrus.

Rio Hondo scored right away in the game, getting an RBI fielder's choice in the bottom half of the first. The Owls answered right away when sophomore Michael Bradley smoked an RBI double that scored sophomore Nathan Virgen.

The game would stay knotted up at one, until freshman Alex Guerrero Jr. scored freshman Taylor Grace on an RBI groundout in the top of the fourth. Citrus added one more insurance run in the top of the fifth when freshman Troy Resch lifted a sacrifice fly to left that scored sophomore Mathew Reynoso to make it 3-1.

Rio Hondo would cut the Owls lead to one in the bottom of the seventh, but the Citrus arms held the Roadrunners at bay the rest of the way. Freshman Michael Reina picked up his first win of the year, going five strong, scattering a pair of hits, a walk, and a run. Reina also struck out three. Freshman Conlan McKenzie earned his first save of the year, pitching the eighth and the ninth, giving up no hits, just one walk, and striking out a pair.

With the win, Citrus improves to 6-6 on the year. The Owls will finally be back home on Tuesday when they host Ventura College in their final game before their start their WSC South slate. Tuesday's contest is set for a 2:00 PM start.