Guillermo’s Walk-Off Sends Owls to Win Over SoCal #1 Mt. SAC

Glendora, CA -- In a game that featured arguably the two best offenses in Southern California if not the State, the Citrus College Softball team took down State #3 and SoCal #1 Mt. San Antonio College 8-7. Sophomore Kiana "Kalei" Guillermo's walk-off home run to right-center in the bottom of the seventh was the difference maker, as Citrus won their seventh straight game.

Mt. SAC would strike first using a fielding miscue and aggressive base running to score once in the top of the first inning. The Owls would eventually more than match that, but it would take until the second inning when Citrus came up with four runs.

Sophomore Megan Troutman started out the scoring with a solo home run to left field to lead-off the bottom of the second. Three at bats later, Guillermo drove in a score with a double to right-center. Two more batters later, Guillermore would score on a wild pitch, just before sophomore Erinn Jaramillo roped a single to left that drove in sophomore Valeria Velasquez.

As expected, the Mounties didn't shrink away. Mt. SAC scored a single run in the top of the fourth via a wild pitch and then got a two-run home run in the top of the fifth to even the game up at 4-4. Citrus quickly came back with an answer as Guillermo hit a rocket back towards the pitcher that scored freshman Stephanie Noriega from third base to make it 5-4.

In the top of the sixth, Mt. SAC took back the lead for the first time since the game started, scoring twice to go up 6-5. Again though, the Owls countered with a two-run home run off the bat of freshman Autumn Bartholomy that scored her and Jessica Brown to make it 7-6.

The lead didn't last long though as Mt. SAC got a two-out double to left-center that tied the game up at 7-7. The Mounties' very next batter got another hit, this time to center field. Mt. SAC sent the runner from second only to watch as sophomore center fielder Sandra "Gaby" Vera threw the runner out at the plate to send the game to the bottom of the seventh and keep the game tied up at 7-7.

Freshman Brittny Zepeda would lead off the bottom of the seventh, and rip the cover off the ball on the fourth pitch she saw, only to see the Mountie pitcher come up with a miraculous catch. It wouldn't end up mattering though as three pitches later Guillermo sent the ball over the right field fence to give Citrus the win.

In the win, Guillermo led the Owls going 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBI's. Jaramillo and Brown each went 2 for 4. Bartholomy meanwhile earned the win in the circle, pitching the final two and a third innings.

With the win, Citrus improves to 7-2 on the season. The Owls will be back at home on Saturday when they host Allan Hancock College at 11:00 AM.