Sweet Double Dip

Glendora, CA -- The Citrus College Softball team played two on Thursday afternoon when they hosted Bakersfield College in a Western State Conference Blue Division double header. It was a sweet double dip for the Owls as they defeated the Renegades in five innings in both contests, winning 8-0 and 9-0.

It took the Owls a couple of innings to get warmed up on Thursday, as they were shut out in the first inning and scored a single run in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a passed ball. Citrus was actually held hitless through the first two innings, before finally opening the flood gates in the third.

Sophomore Jessica Gonzalez got the ball rolling with a solo home run to left-center field that made it 2-0 Citrus. Three at bats later, freshman Kawehi Ephan joined the fun with her program record tying 10th home run of the season, a two run shot that made it 4-0 in favor of Citrus.

In the fourth inning, the Owls broke the game wide open. Gonzalez drove in a pair of runs with a single to left field, and then was driven in, in the next at bat when sophomore Angela Aguinaga laced a double to center field. Aguinaga would score a few moments later when she stole home taking part in the latter half of a double steal to put Citrus up 8-0.

With the offense giving her plenty of breathing room, freshman Arianna Sanchez (7-4) continued to be strong in the circle. Sanchez went all five innings, giving up just three hits and a walk while striking out four. She really only faced trouble in the top of the third when Bakersfield put runners on first and second with one out. Sanchez bore down though and got a fielder's choice ground out and a fly out in right field foul territory to escape any semblance of difficulty.

In the second game, the Owls picked up right where they left off. Citrus took advantage of a pair of Renegade errors and some timely hits to roll up five runs in the bottom of the first. Ephan and sophomore Katherine Cunningham picked up the only two RBI's in the inning as Citrus gave sophomore Carissa Bender plenty of breathing room from the get go.

Citrus added a single run in each of the next two innings, one off the bat of Ephan in a record breaking home run to center field in the second, and the other thanks to a RBI single from Gonzalez. In the fourth, the Owls tacked on the final two runs needed to end the game early when Ephan hit yet another home run, this time a two run dong to left-center.

Again with very little pressure, Bender did a fine job in the circle. Bender (5-0) also gave up just three hits and walk, while striking out three Bakersfield batters, including the final one of the day.

With the two wins, Citrus improves to 13-9 overall and 7-3 in WSC Blue Division play. The Owls will be right back at it tomorrow afternoon when they host East Los Angeles College in a non-conference match-up. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.