A Moral Victory

Glendora, CA - With the just eight non-conference contests remaining on their 2016 schedule, including Saturday afternoon's tilt with State #2 Santiago Canyon, the Citrus College Softball team can put their rough start in the rearview mirror and try to focus on the positives in their remaining non-conference games and prepare for WSC Blue play, and the games that ultimately really count. While the Owls didn't come away a win on the day, they did put up a fight and held the State's top offense to just five runs, a good omen and a moral victory as their schedule continues. 

Both teams were held off the scoreboard through the first three innings, though Santiago Canyon did put runners on the base paths in both the first and second innings, with Citrus getting their first duck on the pond in the third. 

The Hawks would break the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth with back to back solo shots to lead off the innning, before sophomore Autumn Bartholomy (2-5) settled back down and got three straight lineouts. 

The Owls would rally in the bottom of the fourth getting a two out single back to the pitcher from freshman Ashley Soto and then a double to left off the bat of freshman Alyssa Rodriguez that plated Soto from first and made it 1-2.  

In the bottom of the fifth, Citrus would continue forward with some positive momentum. Sophomore Kali Smith drew a leadoff walk, and sophomore Haley Gomez sacrificed her to second base, putting a runner in scoring position. Gomez would move to third on a groundout by freshman Karissa Martinez, and then score in the next at bat thanks to an RBI double to left field from freshman Celine Spathias that made it 2-2. 

The tie would last only until the top of the sixth, when the Hawks hit another solo home run, this one coming with two outs and the count sitting at 3-1. Santiago would add two more scores in the top of the seventh, thanks in large part to an error by the Owls that gave them a 5-2 lead. 

The Owls would put one runner on base in both the sixth and the seventh innings, but both attempts to bring them home fell shy, as the Owls lost by three. In the loss, Spathias would finish 2 for 4, while Soto finished 2 for 3. 

With the loss, Citrus drops to 4-9 on the year, but the Owls get back into conference play this Tuesday when they travel to Bakersfield College for what could turn out to be a crucial early season double-header. Game #1 first pitch is set for 3:00 PM at the Dean and Ada Gay Sports Complex on the campus of Bakersfield College.