Big Bats Propel Owls to Super Regionals for 2nd Time in Program History

Glendora, CA — The Citrus College Softball program advanced to the second round of the 2015 CCCAA Softball Playoffs on Sunday afternoon with a 13-5 six inning win over visiting San Bernardino Valley College. It's just the second trip to the "Super Regionals" for the Owls in program history, and the second time in the last three years. 

 Sophomore Erinn Jaramillo got the Owls off on the right foot when she opened up the top of the first inning by stroking a double down the left field line that plated freshman Stephanie Noriega. The euphoria didn't last long though as San Bernardino answered in the bottom of the first with a solo home run and an RBI single to center field to make it 2-1, and putting Citrus in the hole for the first time this weekend. San Bernardino added to their lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI double and an RBI single that made it 4-1.

After those rough first two innings freshman pitcher Anissa Gallegos settled down and found her groove over the next three. Gallegos was perfect in the third, fourth, and fifth, fanning two of the minimum nine batters she faced over that stretch.

While Gallegos hit her stride in the circle, so too did the Owls offense at the plate. In the top of the third Jaramillo drove in another score with a single through the left side that scored freshman Jessica Brown. Three at bats later, freshman Kaitlyn Garza fisted a ball to left field, scoring Noriega to make it 4-3. Citrus kept it going in the top of the sixth, when they regained the lead. Noriega would tie it up when she scored form third due to an error by the Wolverines pitcher. Sophomore Bobbi Stalnaker followed that up with a single to right-center that scored Jaramillo and sophomore Megan Troutman to put Citrus up 6-4.

Freshman Kali Smith would keep the part rolling with an RBI fielder's choice scoring freshman Autumn Bartholomy. That brought Brown to the plate with runners on first and second and two-outs. Brown took the first pitch for a ball, and then hammered the second pitch over the center field fence to make it 13-4.

Needing just three outs in the bottom of the sixth to wrap up the game, Gallegos needed just one pitch to popup the first batter. The next batter would leg out an infield single, but Gallegos got the batter after that to hit the ball back to here where she turned and threw out the lead runner at second.

With just one more out to go, a pitch got away from Gallegos (25-5) allowing the runner to move to third. Two pitches later, the Wolverines scored another run to make it 13-5. Gallegos quickly shutout any thoughts of a comeback by San Bernardino Valley though as next batter swung at the first pitch and grounded out 6-3.

In the win, Citrus was paced at the plate by their top three batters in the order. Brown went 3 for 5 with three runs and three RBI's, Noriega was 4 for 5 with four runs scored, and Jaramillo was 3 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs.

With the win, Citrus improves to 31-9 overall. The Owls will take on #5 El Camino College on Friday afternoon at Palomar College, with first pitch set for a 4:00 PM start.