Owls Win Big; Take Sole Possession of Second

Santa Monica, CA -- The Citrus College Softball team won big on Tuesday afternoon, drubbing their host Santa Monica College 17-3 in five innings. More importantly though, the Owls took sole possession of second place in the Western State Conference Blue Division, thanks to a loss on the day by LA Mission College.

The Owls didn't waste any time on Tuesday, running out to a 5-0 lead in the top half of the first inning. Freshman Kawehi Ephan broke the single season RBI record in her first AB with a two RBI single to drive in the games first runs. The previous record was 39 set by Sabra Knight back in 1997, a number Ephan was tied with prior to the contest. Sophomore Veronica Ramirez followed up with an RBI single as did freshman Andrea "Cookie" Perez.

In the second, the Owls continued to pile on the runs scoring 11 more. Freshman Sara Moore started it off with an RBI single, only to see sophomore Shyann Ramirez drive in a run with a sacrifice a few AB's later. Sophomore Carissa Bender, who was the Owls' starting pitcher, helped her own cause with a two RBI double. Sophomore Katherine Cunningham answered with an RBI triple, and freshman Alyssa Lozano came through with an RBI single. Ephan then drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center, her third RBI of the game, and moments later Veronica Ramirez ended all the fun with a three RBI home run, her first big fly of the year.

With the offense rocking and rolling, there was little pressure on Bender to hurl the ball. Despite all of that, Bender was strong, pitching all five innings, spreading out seven hits and three runs (two earned), while striking out three Santa Monica batters.

The Owls would score once more on the day, and did so with another sacrifice. Freshman Arianna Sanchez, who got some run in the field instead of the circle on Tuesday, scored freshman Victoria Baltazar from third on a sacrifice fly to center field to put the Owls at their 17 runs scored.

With the win, Citrus improves to 15-10 overall and 8-3 in WSC Blue Division play. The win, keeps the Owls 2.5 games back of first place College of the Canyons and a game out in front of LA Mission College for second in the conference standings. The Owls will take a break from conference play on Thursday, but will take on a non-conference foe on Friday. Citrus travels to El Camino College on Friday for a 2:00 PM start.