Series Preview: CCCAA Regional Round One
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Citrus | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 1 |
|
Cypress | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Citrus | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 2 |
|
Cypress | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
The Citrus College Softball team was given the #14 seed in the 2013 California Community College Softball Southern California playoffs. The Owls will be on the road this weekend as they take on #3 Cypress College in Cypress, CA in a best two out of three games series. Game one is schedule for Saturday May 3, 2013 at 2:00 PM. Game two is Sunday at 12:00 PM, with three taking place shortly after game two if necessary.
About the Matchup
Saturday's game will be the 12th meeting between Citrus College and Cypress College since the 2007 season. It's also the second meeting this season, and the fourth between the two schools in the post-season. The Chargers are 10-1 against the Owls in the previous 11 meetings, including a 9-1 win over Citrus back in mid March, and a 2-1 mark against the Owls in the post-season.
The three previous meetings in the playoffs came back in 2011. The Owls lost game one 3-2, before storming back on day two with a 7-1 win over the Chargers, forcing a deciding game three. In the third and final game, the Cypress outlasted Citrus 9-6.
About the Chargers
Cypress College is the most storied program in California Community College Athletic Association Softball. The Chargers have won three straight CCCAA titles, and eight overall under Head Coach Brad Pickler. Cypress is coming off its 12th straight Orange Empire Conference Championship in 2013, after going 33-7 overall and 18-3 in OEC play.
The Chargers are led by All-State selections, Nicole Nobbe and Stephanie Luhmann. Nobbe batted .521 on the year, with 16 doubles, 49 runs scored, 29 RBI's, and eight stolen bases. Lumann meanwhile commanded the circle for Cypress, posting a 19-4 overall record, 2.02 ERA, and over 130 K's.
Last Time Out
Citrus earned an automatic berth into the playoffs thanks to their second place finish in the Western State Conference Blue Division. It's Citrus' fourth straight trip to the playoffs and seventh in the last eight years. The Owls head into the 2013 post-season on a nice five game winning streak, and as winners of 10 of their last 12 contests. In that stretch, Citrus is batting .392 with 26 extra base hits and a team slugging percentage of .576. Freshman Kawehi Ephan, the WSC Blue Division Player of the Year, is hitting .647 with 14 runs and 14 RBI's in this current stretch. She's also been walked 15 times, and hit another two times.
Owls Against the OEC In Playoffs
In four of their last five post-season appearances, the Citrus College Softball program has taken on a team from the Orange Empire Conference. In 2007 it was Golden West College, whom the Owls lost to in three games. In 2010, Fullerton College defeated the Owls again in three games in the opening round. Cypress, as noted above, did the honors in 2011, and then last year (2012), Citrus lost in three games to Riverside City College. Three of the four playoff series have been on the road, and all have gone the full three games.
How to Follow
There are three ways to follow Saturday and Sunday's action this weekend. The first is to follow the Official Citrus College Athletics Twitter Page @ccfightingowls which will be updated throughout the event. In addition, the scoreboard on the front page of CitrusOwls.com will be updated in between each inning. Lastly, you can join the Owls live in person at Cypress College. General Admission is $8. Students, faculty, staff, senior citizens 60+, and children less than 12 with valid ID are $5.