Owls Lose a Pair of Heartbreakers at Antelope Valley

Lancaster, CA - The Citrus College Softball team went into Tuesday's double-header knowing that they couldn't claim a WSC East crown, but that they could improve their position in the upcoming CCCAA Playoffs. While the Owls may have made a statement that their offense is for real, they couldn't hold off a very good Marauder squad who rallied for two wins against the Owls on Tuesday 14-10 and 17-16. 

 Citrus got things off to the start they wanted scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning via a RBI fielder's choice by sophomore Celine Spathias and a RBI single to left by freshman Jocelyn Alvarado. The Marauders would answer with a run in the bottom of the first and the bottom of the second, but Citrus would go back in front again in the top of the third after a three-run shot to center field by freshman Molly Montell and an RBI single by freshman Seanna Jimenez that made it 6-2. 

Antelope Valley would rally with three scores in the bottom of the third to pull within a run, but Citrus had another four-spot in them in the top of the fourth, after a 2-RBI single by freshman Mia Escobar and a 2-RBI double to left by Jimenez made it 10-5. 

That five-run lead disappeared rather quickly as the Marauders scored a four-spot of their own in the bottom of the fourth to pull back within one, and then took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth with five unanswered runs to reach the 14 run mark. Citrus meanwhile was held scoreless over the final three frames for the loss. Jimenez finished 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, and sophomore Jade Nua was 2-for-4 with a pair of scores 

In the second game, Antelope Valley initially kept all momentum in their favor with three runs in the bottom of the first. The Owls got their first run in the top of the second via a solo shot to center field by Spathias, and then took their first lead of the game, 4-3 after a 2-RBI single to right by Montell and a 2-RBI triple to right by Alvarado. 

The Marauders rallied with three scores in the bottom of the third to make it 6-4, but Nua had an answer in the top of the fourth with a three run shot to center that made it 7-6. In the top of the sixth, Citrus picked up three more runs, one on a single to center by freshman Valerie Otiz, the second when Nua was hit with bases loaded, and the third on a sacrifice fly to left by Spathias that plated Jimenez. 

Trailing 11-6 in the bottom off the sixth, AVC added a pair of scores on a two-run home run to center, but Citrus responded with five more runs, getting and RBI double to right by Ortiz and a grand slam off the bat of Spathias to run out to a seemingly insurmountable 16-8 lead. That lead dissipated quickly however as the Marauders scored five runs with one out and the four more necessary to complete the sweep with two outs. 

In the loss, Ortiz finished 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, Spathias went 3-for-5 with six RBIs and three runs, and Alvarado, Escobar, and Jimenez all had at least two hits. 

With the two losses Citrus moves to 24-14 overall and finished WSC East play 13-5. The Owls will be in the 2017 post-season, but won't find out where or when until Saturday. ​