Softball's Season Ends In Super Regionals

Riverside, CA -- Arguably the most successful softball season in Citrus College Athletics history ended in dramatic fashion on Saturday evening in Riverside. The Owls lost a tough 4-3 game to Santiago Canyon in eight innings, getting eliminated from their Super Regional.

Citrus struck first and did so almost immediately. Freshman Sara Moore ripped a double in the bottom of the first, scoring sophomore Angela Aguinaga and giving the Owls a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately the Owls left some runs off the scoreboard when they ran themselves out the inning in the next at bat. 

That would be all the offense for Citrus in regulation despite a few close calls during the course of the game. Santiago Canyon was held at bay until the top of the third when they got a one out RBI single to tie the game at one run each.

The Hawks put pressure on the Citrus defense and freshman starting pitcher Arianna Sanchez throughout the game, but each time both the D and Sanchez rallied. Santiago had a hit or walk to lead off every single inning Saturday except for the first.

Citrus did have a golden opportunity to end the game in the bottom of the seventh, when a lead off single from freshman Raeleen Tellez and a two out walk from Victoria Baltazar put runners in scoring position. Alas it wasn't meant to be as the inning ended in a groundout to second.

In the top of the eighth, the Hawks finally made good on all those base runners. Santiago Canyon exploded for three runs, all unearned. The Owls nearly clawed their way all the way back thanks to a one out RBI double from sophomore Bre Lockett and an RBI single from Tellez.  The game ended two at bats later though on a strikeout swinging and a deep foul fly out to left field.

With the loss, Citrus' extremely successful 2013 season finishes with a 26-14 record.