Owls Bounce Back to Eliminate Cypress, Punch Super Regional Ticket

Facing elimination after a narrow loss in Game 3, Citrus College responded with back-to-back victories Sunday to defeat Cypress College and advance out of the 3C2A Baseball Southern California Regional at SoCal Site 7 (Citrus College). 

Cypress College claimed an 8-7 win in Saturday's Game 3, but Citrus bounced back with a 12-3 victory in Game 4 and a 6-2 win in the decisive Game 5 to earn a trip to the 3C2A Super Regional round at Santa Ana College. 

In Game 3 on Saturday, Citrus held a late lead before Cypress rallied in the final innings. The Owls led 6-4 after a three-run sixth inning highlighted by a two-RBI single from Cam Casado, but Cypress answered with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and took the lead for good with a two-run double in the eighth. A solo home run in the ninth provided insurance. 

Jordan Daniels homered in the bottom of the ninth to bring Citrus within one, but the comeback fell short. Casado finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Nick Velazquez added three hits and two RBIs. Citrus totaled 11 hits but left nine runners on base. Conner Luetto struck out five over six strong innings, and Ryan Harrison pitched three innings in relief, striking out six. 

With their season on the line Sunday morning in Game 4, Citrus delivered a dominant offensive performance despite rainy, slick field conditions at first pitch. 

Cam Casado powered the Owls, going 4-for-5 with two home runs — his team-leading 13th and 14th of the season — and six RBIs, including a monumental grand slam in the third inning that erased an early 1-0 deficit and gave Citrus a 4-1 lead, shifting the momentum of the day. Nick Velazquez added a 2-for-4 performance with two home runs — his eighth and ninth of the season — and three RBIs as part of a 15-hit attack. Derek Almeda drove in two runs, while Jordan Daniels scored three times and reached base twice via walks. 

Citrus broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning and added runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, finishing 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position. 

On the mound, Garrett Patterson (W, 5-1) earned the win, allowing one run on seven hits over seven innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Matthew Martinez closed out the final two innings, allowing two runs (one earned) while striking out two. 

In the decisive game Sunday afternoon, Citrus struck early and never trailed. 

Daniels opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning, setting the tone for the Owls. After Cypress tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth, Citrus responded immediately with a three-run inning. Daniels delivered an RBI double, followed by run-scoring hits from Jackson Gray and Patterson to regain control, making it 5-2 through five innings. 

Dustin Yela added an RBI single in the seventh to extend the lead to 6-2. 

Daniels led the offense, going 3-for-5 with a home run — his 10th of the season — two doubles and three RBIs. Derek Almeda added three hits, while Citrus finished with 13 hits overall. 

On the mound, Tim Hudson (W, 8-1) was lights out, allowing two runs over six innings with seven strikeouts. Gabe Buranasiri closed the door with three scoreless innings, not allowing a hit for his fifth save of the season.

The now 33-11 Owls needed two wins in one day to stay alive and outscored the Chargers 18-5 on Sunday to complete the comeback and advance to face Santa Ana College in the first round of the 3C2A Baseball Super Regionals on Thursday, May 7.

3C2A Baseball Super Regional Bracket