Owls Drop Game 1 of SoCal Regional to Cerritos, 3-2

Citrus College Softball dropped a hard-fought Game 1 in the opening round of the 2025 3C2A Southern California Regional, falling 3-2 to Cerritos College on Friday, May 2. 

With the loss, Citrus falls to 24-17 overall, while Cerritos improves to 30-10 and takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. 

The Owls struck first in the top of the first inning when Madelyn Hajj singled to right field to drive in Alivia Martinez. Cerritos responded quickly, plating three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. 

Citrus pulled within one run in the top of the second, as Breanna Aguilar's single to left brought home Ava Camarena. Despite both teams threatening throughout the game, neither would score again. The Owls stranded five runners, while the Falcons left eight on base. 

Citrus mounted a rally in the top of the seventh with two outs, stringing together back-to-back singles from Breanna Aguilar and Harmony Torres. But the Falcons managed to hold on for the narrow win. 

Martinez led the Owls offensively, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and her state-leading 46th stolen base of the season. Aguilar also went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Hajj added her 55th RBI of the year—second most in the state. Camarena swiped three bases (now 36 on the season, fifth in the state) and scored a run. 

Defensively, Bailey Aguilar made a crucial play to end the second inning, throwing out a Cerritos runner at home to prevent a run from scoring.  

Pitcher Caitlin Kelley (L, 18-12) threw six solid innings, allowing just three earned runs and striking out two. 

The Owls return to Cerritos on Saturday, May 3, for a must-win Game 2 at 12 p.m. If Citrus wins, a decisive Game 3 will follow at 2 p.m.