Glendora, CA(Baseball) – They say the best way to fight fire is with more fire. After falling behind 12-4 after just 4 innings, that’s exactly what the Citrus College bats did, exploding for 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning. It wasn’t enough however as the Fighting Owls fell to LA Valley 13-11 Thursday afternoon.
Citrus got off to a rocky start, when starter Daniel Sandello gave up 7 runs to the Monarchs in just 2 innings of work. Things didn’t get much better in the 4th inning when Jeff Van Gundy and Bradley McGuire combined to give up another 5 runs, pushing the Citrus deficit even further then before. After LA Valley scored 2 more runs in the 6th and 8th innings it seemed as if the Fighting Owls were done, trailing 13-4 with only two more rounds of at bats left.
Everything turned around in the bottom of the 8th when the Citrus bats awoke from their mid game slumber. Citrus was kick-started by Tony Mancuso’s single up the left field line. Javier Lizarraga backed that up with a single of his own to left-field, while pinch-runner Jason McClellan advanced to third base.
After AC Grable drew a walk and Dennis Dunn flew out to center-field, Many Martinez got his third RBI of the day by getting to first base after getting hit by a pitch. Gabriel Chavez got into the act with a single to right field scoring Grable, while Michael Gonzalez’s 2 RBI double to center field put runners on 2nd and 3rd.
Jacob Medina followed Gonzalez’s at bat with a single to left field and an RBI of his own, and Jason McClellan’s bases clearing double to left-center scored the final two runs of the inning. When all was said and done the Owls had spread 6 hits over 11 at bats, and scored 7 runs to pull within 2 runs of the Monarchs.
After Jesus Sanchez held LA Valley scoreless in the top of the 9th, Citrus got their chance to pull even in the bottom of that same inning as AC Grable drew a walk to begin the inning. Adrian Martinez, pinch-hitting for Dunn, flew out to right-center marking the first out of the inning. Manny Martinez continued his stellar day with a single to left-center, and advancing to second base on a throw to third base.
With runners on 2nd and 3rd and 1 out, Gabe Chavez came to the plate and struck-out looking. With a small chance still remaining, Michael Gonzalez just missed beating out a throw to first base on an infield single to continue the rally. Instead Gonzalez was thrown out, and Citrus went down swinging.
Manny Martinez had his best game of the year going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI’s and 2 runs scored. Michael Gonzalez, Gabe Chavez, and Ryan Cornejo, all also had good days at the dish, all going 2 for 5.
With the loss the Fighting Owls fall to 10-25 overall and 6-11 in conference play. Daniel Sandello’s record moves to 3-6. Citrus will get another crack at the Monarchs this Saturday as they travel to Valley Glen, CA to take on LA Valley for their final meeting of these two teams for the season. First pitch is at 1:00 pm.
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