CCCAA Regional Round One Preview: Citrus vs San Bernardino Valley
A preview of this weekend's best two out of three series between #4 Citrus College and #13 San Bernardino Valley College in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Regional Playoffs. Game #1 is set for Saturday at 2:00 PM, with Game #2 a 12:00 PM start on Sunday. If necessary, Game #3 would take place following Game #2 on Sunday.
About the Match-Up
This weekend will be the first time that both Citrus College and San Bernardino Valley College have played since before the 2007 season. The two schools squared off multiple times a season when they both were members of the Foothill Conference. The Owls left the Foothill Conference in 2000, while San Bernardino is still a member. Unfortunately no game by game records were kept for either school prior to 2007.
About the Wolverines
San Bernardino Valley enters it's second straight CCCAA Post-Season under Head Coach Jerry Tivey who began the program turnaround after taking it over last season. The Wolverines were co-champions in the Foothill Conference this year, earning their first conference crown since 1998. San Bernardino Valley finished the regular season with a 26-13 overall record, and enter the post-season having won eight of their last nine games.
The Wolverines boast a Top 20 Offense in the State, ranking 16th in total hits (364), 19th in RBIs (216), 18th in batting average (.341), and 20th in stolen bases (56). Sophomore short stop Lauren Melchor is the catalyst of the offense, and was named the Foothill Conference Player of the Year and a California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association (3CFCA) All-State selection. Melchor batted .589 with 51 runs scored and 26 RBIs. Melchior led the entire CCCAA in batting average and was 10th in the CCCAA in runs scored.
Melchor isn't the lone threat for San Bernardino as sophomore second baseman Serena Ovalles is tied with sophomore pitcher Alicia Morris for the team lead in RBIs with 32 each. Sophomore catcher Laurie Haro is batting .397 with a .482 on-base percentage, having driven in 27 runs and scoring 32. In the circle, Morris has been San Bernardino Valley's ace with a 17-7 record and 2.01 ERA. Morris has fanned 95 batters on the season and is averaging just over 5 K's a game.
About the Owls
Like San Bernardino Valley, Citrus College enters the 2015 post-season as the champions of their conference, as the Owls won their second straight Western State Conference Blue Division Championship. It's the ninth playoff appearance for Citrus in the last ten seasons, and their highest seed ever earned in program history. It's also just the second time the Owls will host a playoff series, their last coming in 2007 when Citrus was the #5 seed and hosted #12 Golden West College. The Owls have also won eight of their last nine as they start the playoffs.
Citrus also is home to one of the top offenses in the State. The Owls finished the regular season ranked 7th in batting average (.360), 12th in on-base percentage (.432), 5th in slugging percentage (.563), 2nd in home runs (44), and 10th in runs scored (282).
The offense has been paced all season long by sophomore Erinn Jaramillo and freshman Jessica Brown who were both 1st team All-WSC Blue selections and 3CFCA All-State honorees. Jaramillo led the team with a .481 batting average driving in 38 RBIs, scoring 43 runs, and roping a team high 14 doubles which was the 14th highest mark in the entire State. Brown meanwhile batted .421 with a .913 slugging percentage, walloping 17 home runs and driving in a team high 51 RBIs. Her home run totals were the 2nd best mark in the State, and she finished 10th in the CCCAA in RBIs and 13th in the State in slugging percentage.
The Owls aren't all offense as epitomized by freshman pitcher Anissa Gallegos who was the WSC Blue Pitcher of the Year and also a 3CFCA All-State honoree. Gallegos went 23-5 with a 2.20 ERA and 78 K's on the season. Gallegos was 3rd in the entire CCCAA in wins.
Owls in the Post-Season
While Citrus has been a mainstay in the CCCAA Playoffs nine out of the last ten years, the Owls have only six playoff wins to their name in that stretch. Citrus won just one playoff series, advancing to the CCCAA Super Regionals in 2013 when they upset #3 Cypress College. Since 2007, Citrus is just 6-14 in the playoffs, including a sweep at the hands of Mt. San Antonio College last year. The Owls do have a history of pushing things in the Regional Rounds though, having forced at least three games in four of their last six regional series.
Owls Against the Foothill
Since the 2007 the Citrus College Softball team has had considerable success against teams from the Foothill Conference. In that span, the Owls are 17-9 overall against teams from the Foothill, including a 10-3 record at home. More recently, Citrus has won 10 of it's last 11 contests against schools from the Foothill, including five straight. Citrus' last loss to a Foothill Conference school was a 4-2 setback to College of the Desert back in 2013. This year, the Owls are a perfect 3-0 against the Foothill with wins over Victor Valley and Co-Conference Champs Rio Hondo College (11-5) and Desert (8-7).
How to Follow
If you can't make it to the Citrus College Softball complex in Glendora this weekend, @ccfightingowls will have live updates throughout the weekend. If you can make it this weekend, General Admission is $10, while Faculty, Staff, Students, Seniors 60+, and Children 12 and Under (all with ID), are $7.
Please note that parking is free this weekend, but may be impacted both days due to other area commitments, but will be especially difficult on Sunday. It is recommended that you park in the E6 Parking Lot off Foothill Boulevard near the Library. You can find a copy of the Campus Map linked below.