A-Lo-Ha

Glendora, CA -- In Hawaii the word Aloha means both hello and goodbye. That couldn't be more fitting, considering the Citrus debut of 5'7 freshman catcher Kawehi Ephan who hails from the Islands. Ephan said hello to the community college softball world with a home run in her first at bat, and then said goodbye to the ball in her last at bat as she helped guide the Owls to a 13-5 win in their season opener against Pasadena City College.

The Lancers looked game in the opening frame, putting one run in the board in the top of the first. The Owls quickly answered though getting four runs in the bottom of the same inning, two off the bat of Ephan who's shot to centerfield made it 4-1.

The Owls kept it rolling in the second, putting seven more runs on the board. Freshman Sara Moore drove in the first, while sophomore Rebecca Ireland added another exactly two at bats later. Ephan got in on the fun with a two RBI single through the left side, and was followed by a sacrifice fly from freshman Victoria Baltazar and a RBI double from sophomore Shyann Ramirez.

Pasadena retaliated with four runs in the top of the third that chased Citrus starter Arianna Sanchez, and threatened again in the top of the fourth after Sanchez was replaced by Baltazar. Baltazar got out of the jam though when she got the third batter she faced to line out to first baseman sophomore Veronica Ramirez who tagged out the runner who couldn't get back to the bag at first and then threw out the runner at second for a triple play.

Citrus would add another score in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI double up the left field line from sophomore Bre Lockett. With Baltazar setting down six of the next seven batters she faced, it was left up to Ephan in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away for good. Ephan did exactly that as she sent a towering shot over the left field fence that mercied Pasadena.

Ephan finished the game 4 for 4 with 5 RBI's and three runs scored. Lockett was the only other batter with more than one hit, going 2 for 4 with a run and a RBI. Baltazar would get the win in the circle going three and a third surrendering one hit and striking out two.

With the win, Citrus improves to 1-0 on the year. The Owls will be back at home on Wednesday when they host Golden West and San Diego Mesa Colleges in a triangular. Citrus will take on Golden West first with first pitch set for 2:00 PM.