Glendora, CA (Baseball) -- Just 24 hours after the Citrus College baseball team surrendered a five run lead before storming back and winning the game in extra innings, the Fighting Owls found themselves in almost the exact same position, nearly squandering a late lead. This time however, Citrus shut the door before Mt San Jacinto could make them pay, as the Fighting Owls grabbed a 9-6 win over the Eagles.
The Eagles would be the first team on the board when Mt. San Jacinto’s Greg Anzures hit a solo shot to give them a 1-0 lead. Citrus responded an inning later, scoring four runs in the bottom of the third alone.
Mt. San Jacinto would come back with another run in the fourth, but the Fighting Owls would blow the door wide open in the bottom of the fifth and sixth. After sophomore Julio Raymundo got a run on the scoreboard with a solo home-run in the fifth, Citrus went on to record four more in the sixth, taking a commanding 9-2 lead two-thirds of the way through the game.
That’s when the Eagles staged their comeback. Mt. San Jacinto quickly scored three runs in the top of the seventh, two thanks to a double to left-field by Drew Madrigal. The Eagles went on to score another run in the eighth cutting the Citrus lead to 3 runs.
With that, the Fighting Owls turned the ball over to sophomore closer Aaron Illhareguy, who bounced back from a rough outing yesterday, by getting his second save of the year ending the Eagle threat.
In the win, Citrus was led by Raymundo who went 2 for 5 with 2 run’s and 2 RBI’s. Sophomore starter Steven Chakerian also had a solid showing pitching 5 1/3 innings giving up just 2 runs and striking out 3 batters.
With the win, Citrus continues their hot start improving to 7-2 overall, while Mt. San Jacinto falls to 8-2. Citrus will get back after things tomorrow when they travel to Canyons College for their second conference game of the season. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM.
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