Owls Sweep Antelope Valley; Take Over First in WSC Blue

Glendora, CA -- The Citrus College Softball team played host to Western State Conference newcomer Antelope Valley College, in what had designs on being a crucial early conference double-header. The Marauders were undefeated in WSC Blue Division play and in first place, a game ahead of the Owls. Citrus took over that spot though on Tuesday with a sweep of AVC 5-1 and 10-2 in six innings.

In game number one it was as much about the Owls defense and the pitching of Miranda Gil as it was about an offense that racked up 13 hits. Gil (6-5) threw a complete game two hitter, didn't walk anyone, and struck out nine total Marauder batters. Gil's only run that she was responsible for was an unearned one that came in the top of the third inning, that actually saw Citrus sit in a 0-1 hole.

The Owls offense, while promising in that first game, didn't really get going until the bottom of the fourth inning. Furthermore it was an Antelope Valley error that got the Owls on the board. With two outs, freshman Raven Preseau lifted a deep fly ball to left field. The Marauder left fielder tracked back to catch the ball and got her glove on it, but the ball popped out, allowing freshman Haylie Roach to score and tie the game up.

Three pitches later, sophomore Alyssa Lozano drove in Preseau from second with an RBI single to left-center. One pitch later, Lozano was scoring from second thanks to an RBI single to right field from sophomore Sara Moore, and what was a 0-1 hole was now a 3-1 lead for Citrus.

In the bottom of the fifth, freshman Erinn Jaramillo got on the board when she led the inning off with a triple off the right field fence. On the relay back into the field, the Marauder third baseman misplayed the ball, allowing Jaramillo to score and making it 4-1. Citrus' fifth and final run would come in the bottom of the sixth when Jaramillo lifted a 2-1 pitch to right field scoring Preseau from third.

In the second game, Gil tired in the circle, but not at the plate. Gil made it just through three innings, but left the circle with the Owls still in the lead. Citrus held that lead thanks to Gil's efforts in the batters box. Gil gave Citrus a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when she blasted a 2-1 pitch over the left-center field fence.

Antelope would cut the deficit to one in the top of the second, but in the bottom of the third, Moore and Gil led off the inning with back-to-back solo jacks that made it 5-1. The Marauders came right back with a solo shot of their own in the top of the fourth, that ultimately chased Gil from the circle. Gil gave way though to sophomore Arianna Sanchez (7-1) who was dominant in her three innings of work. Sanchez gave up just one hit and struck out three en route to earning the victory.

Not that she needed it, but Sanchez had all the breathing room she needed in the circle, as the Owls bats continued to explode. Freshman Megan Troutman got in on the fun with an RBI single to right-center field in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-2. The game would be put away for good in the bottom of the sixth, when Moore launched a two run home run that cleared the scoreboard in center field making it 8-2. Two at bats later, Jaramillo ended the game with her first home run of the year, a two run jack over the right-center field fence that stopped the game an inning early.

With the two wins, Citrus improves to 13-6 overall and 5-1 in WSC Blue Division play. The Owls will be back at home on Thursday when they host Glendale College in another conference contest. First pitch is set for 2:30 PM.