Owls Off to Hot Start With Win at Grossmont

El Cajon, CA - The Citrus College Softball team, ranked #9 in Southern California according to the 3CFCA Pre-Season Coaches Poll, got their 2017 season off to a hot start on Tuesday afternoon with a 14-6 win over host Grossmont College. The Owls rapped out 18 hits got a pair of home runs in the eight run victory.

It took both teams a little while to get warmed up, as each team threw up goose eggs in the first two innings. Citrus put up the game's first run when freshman Jacquelyn Preciado doubled to center field to bring in freshman Mia Escobar. Grossmont would answer with a run of their own in the bottom half of the third, but the Owls responded with a solo blast from sophomore Jade Nua in the top of the fourth to go back in front 2-1.

In the top of the fifth, Citrus kept it going, getting an RBI groundout from Preciado and an RBI single back up the middle of the field off the bat of sophomore Celine Spathias to make it 4-1. The Griffins would score three of their own in the bottom of the fifth, to pull back within one, but Citrus blew the game wide open in the top of the sixth.

With two outs, Escobar got things going with a solo shot to center field. After a double down the left field line from freshman Seanna Jiminez, Preciado single to right to plate Jiminez. Grossmont would boot the next ball put in play, and Nua would load the up the bases with a walk. That brought three straight singles from freshman Molly Montell, sophomore Alyssa Rodriguez, and freshman Jocelyn Alvarado, that made it 10-4.  

Grossmont would scratch out a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Citrus added four more in the top of the seventh with Jiminez, Preciado, Montell, and Alvarado all providing RBIs. The Griffins scored once more in the seventh, but Citrus more than held on for the W.

In the win, Preciado led the way going 3 for 5 with 4 RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Montell would finish 4 for 4 with 3 RBIs, and Escobar was 3 for 4 with 4 runs and a RBI. In the circle, freshman Danielle Dominguez picked up the win, scattering eight hits, four runs (three earned), and three K's across five innings.

With the win, Citrus improves to an early 1-0 in play this year. The Owls will be back in action this Friday when they host Pre-Season State #5 Palomar College for a double-header with the first game set for a 2:00 PM start.