Softball Wins Another Thriller With Extra Inning Walk-Off Win Over Santa Ana

Glendora, CA - The Citrus College Softball team did it again on Thursday night when they payed host to Santa Ana College. The Owls rallied from an early hole to force extra innings before winning the game in walk-off fashion in their 11-10 win over the Dons. 

 Santa Ana would got on the board first with a single run in the top of the first inning. The Owls were able to match the run in the bottom of the first, but did so thanks to an error by the Dons. Santa Ana would keep their offense rolling through the second and third innings with two runs in each innings as they ran out to a 5-1 lead. The Owls would get one run back in the bottom of the third on a solo shot by sophomore Jade Nua, but Santa Ana added one more in the top of the fourth to go back up four. 

Citrus finally got some momentum going in the bottom of the fourth when they scored twice to get back within two. Sophomore Celine Spathias and Nua both drew bases loaded walks to make it 4-6. Neither team would score in the fifth, and Citrus managed to keep a clean sheet in the top of the sixth leading to the bottom of the sixth where the Owls exploded for four runs. 

Freshman Seanna Jimenez would lead the parade with a RBI single that plated freshman Mia Escobar. Freshman Valerie Ortiz would follow that up with a 2-RBI triple down the right field line that brought in Jimenez and Nua and gave the Owls a 7-6. The Owls weren't done though as Ortiz score on a Santa Ana error, giving Citrus a two-run as they went to the top of the seventh. 

Santa Ana wouldn't go away so easily though, as they rallied with a pair of runs to tie the game up at 8-6. In the top of the eighth, the Dons would go back on top with a two-RBI double, but the Owls had yet another answer in the form of a Jimenez two-run shot to left-center field that tied the game up at 10 runs each. 

In the top of the ninth, freshman pitcher Danielle Dominguez would set the Dons down in order bringing up the hear of the Owls order in the bottom of the ninth. Escobar would start off the inning by getting aboard on an error by the Dons. Two batters later with runners on first and second, Nua stepped up to the plate and stroked a double to center field that brought in Escobar for the game winning run. 

In the win, Nua finished 2 for 2 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs, and Jimenez was 2 for 4 with 2 scores and 3 more RBIs. Dominguez would earn the victory in the circle, giving up seven hits over seven innings, while fanning three batters.

With the win, Citrus improves to 5-3 on the year. The Owls' game against Pasadena set for Friday afternoon has been postponed due to the impending storm. Citrus will be back at home on Tuesday when they host Bakersfield College in a double-header with the first game set for a 3:00 PM start.