Owls Lose Two in Close Fashion at Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA - The Citrus College Softball team took the long trek up to Bakersfield College on Wednesday afternoon to take on the Renegades in a WSC Blue double-header. The Owls lost both games in close fashion, 4-2 and 10-8. 

 The Owls got off to a rolling start, keeping the Renegades off the board through the first five innings in the first game. Citrus meanwhile took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when freshman Karissa Martinez singled through the left side of the field bringing home sophomore Kali Smith.

Citrus would tack another run onto the lead in the top of the sixth when freshman Ashley "Nikki" Soto singled to center field plating freshman Alyssa Rodrgieuz to make it 2-0. 

The lead wouldn't last through the inning though as Bakersfield rallied in the bottom of the sixth with four runs, three coming off a three-run blast. The Owls would put a runner on first with no outs to lead off the top of the seventh, but it was quickly erased when she was caught stealing. 

In the second game, Citrus looked like they hadn't left the tough end to the first game linger as they scored three runs in the top of the first, getting a bases clearing double from sophomore Autumn Bartholomy. The Owls would add to that in the top of the second, when freshman Celine Spathias brought in freshman Erin Muprhy. 

In the bottom of the second, Bakersfield roared back scoring four unearned runs to tie the game up at 4-4. They then took an 8-4 lead in the bottom of the third, scoring two of the four in an unearned manner. 

The Owls had their own answer in the top of the fourth, when sophomore Haley Gomez started things off with a solo home run to center field. Spathias followed that up an RBI double to left-center, and Rodriguez drove her in with a RBI single to center, to cut their deficit to one at 7-8. 

Bakersfield would add two insurance runs in the top of the fifth. Citrus would try to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh, when Murphy lifted a single to center that drove in Bartholomy. The rally ended right after though, when the next batter grounded out into a double play to end the game. 

With the loss, Citrus falls to 4-11 overall and 1-2 in WSC Blue play. The Owls will be back home on Thursday when they host College of the Canyons at 2:30 PM.