Owls Split Games Against Top-15 Opponents, Set Sights on Upcoming Conference Play

No. 14 ranked Citrus College Baseball split two road games against ranked opponents over the weekend, falling 3–1 to No. 12 Riverside City College on Friday, February 27 before defeating No. 15 Golden West College 3–1 on Saturday, February 28. With the weekend split, the Owls improve to 11–5 overall and have moved up the CCCBCA rankings from a preseason No. 27 to No. 14 after six weeks, now setting their sights on conference play.

In Friday's 3–1 loss to Riverside City College, the Tigers broke the game open in the fourth inning, plating three runs on three consecutive RBI hits to take a 3–0 lead. Citrus College answered in the sixth when Dustin Yela lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Dominic Torrez and cutting the deficit to 3–1. That would account for all scoring, though the Owls threatened again in the top of the eighth. Garrett Patterson led off with a single through the right side, followed by a single to right from Torrez to put runners on first and second with no outs. Beau Lloyd, pinch hitting for Yela, grounded out to shortstop, advancing both runners. The rally was cut short when Patterson was caught stealing home, and Derek Almeda grounded out to end the inning.

Citrus finished with six hits, highlighted by Dominic Torrez, who went 2-for-3 with a double and scored the lone run. Jackson Gray doubled and recorded a sacrifice, while Jordan Daniels, Nick Velazquez, and Garrett Patterson each added a hit. Yela drove in the team's only run on the sacrifice fly, and Torrez added a stolen base. On the mound, Conner Luetto (L, 0–1) went 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Ryan Harrison tossed 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, giving up one hit, striking out five, and walking two.

In Saturday's 3–1 road win at No. 15 Golden West, Citrus struck first in the fourth inning when Derek Almeda scored on a wild pitch. Golden West responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single to even the score at 1–1. Citrus regained the lead in the seventh when Nick Velazquez tripled to right-center, scoring Jackson Gray on an unearned run to make it 2–1. The Owls added insurance in the eighth when Royce Mendoza reached on a bunt that resulted in a pitcher's error, advancing to third and allowing Koyo Taniguchi to score an unearned run, extending the lead to 3–1.

At the plate, Citrus collected four hits and drew four walks. Matt Kaneshiro, Dominic Torrez, Nick Velazquez, and Lance Armijo each recorded a hit, with Velazquez's triple accounting for the team's lone RBI. Jackson Gray reached base twice via walk and scored, while Derek Almeda and Koyo Taniguchi also crossed the plate. Torrez added a stolen base, and defensively the Owls turned a double play behind Almeda, Jordan Daniels, and Velazquez.

Citrus' pitching staff held Golden West to five hits and one run over nine innings. Sean York started, allowing one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 5.0 innings. Matthew Martinez earned the win (2–0) with 3.1 scoreless innings, striking out three, while Gabe Buranasiri closed the game with a perfect 0.2 innings for his second save.

The Owls remain on the road to open conference play against No. 21 Glendale College on Tuesday, March 3 at 2 p.m., the first game of a three-game series with the Vaqueros.