Citrus Gives #3 Glendale Run for Its Money

Citrus College closed out its three-game Western State Conference series with No. 3-ranked Glendale College Saturday afternoon, giving the Vaqueros a run for their money in a 9-7 defeat.

The Owls drop to 8-25 on the year and 4-11 in conference action, while the Vaqueros held onto their top spot in the conference standings with a 25-9 overall and 14-1 WSC record.

Both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings before the Vaqueros broke through first with two runs in the top of the fourth.

Citrus answered back with three runs in the bottom half of the frame and tacked on two more in the fifth to jump out to a 5-2 lead. In the bottom of the fourth with two runners on and one out, Chad Green (1-for-3) doubled through the gap on the left to score his brother Connor Green (2-for-4), before a sacrifice from Aaron Martinez sent Diego Gonzales (2-for-4) home to tie the game. Jin Hattori knocked an RBI single to give the Owls the lead before the Vaqueros could get out of the inning.

The Owls were hungry for more and added two runs in the fifth off a double from Connor Green that got lost in the ivy and a sacrifice from Gonzales before Glendale secured the third out.

Things started to turn in the top of the sixth, however, as the Vaqueros plated three runs to tie the game. Citrus took back its lead in the bottom half of the inning on a botched attempt to catch Jordan Sheridan stealing, but it was short-lived as Glendale evened things up again in the seventh.

Despite the Owls grabbing two outs in the top of the ninth, the Vaqueros got some new life after a wild sequence of events allowed a runner to steal home to give the visitors the lead once again. Glendale added two runs for good measure and looked like it might walk away with the win after grabbing the first two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

The Owls turned on a two-out rally, however, and a Gonzales base hit sent Ronnie Wohlert home from second to keep the home team in the game. Citrus loaded the bases, but couldn't send any more home as the Vaqueros sealed the 9-7 victory.

On the mound, Aiden Ross put in a solid five innings, striking out four batters, while Aiden Taylor struck out five batters in 2.1 innings of work. 

Citrus has two more WSC series remaining on the schedule, hosting Bakersfield College on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. to kick off the first series.