Glendora, CA (Baseball) – Freshman third baseman Kyle Nutter, went 2 for 3 with 3 run’s scored while fellow freshman center fielder Jacob Ludvik was 3 for 3 with a run scored, as the duo helped the Fighting Owls improve to 3-1 with a 6-4 win over visiting San Bernardino Valley on Tuesday afternoon.
Citrus got things rolling in the first inning, using some smart base running and a little luck to get the first run of the day. After Ludvik led off the inning with a walk, Angel Marti moved him over to second base on a ground-out to first. Moments later, Ludvik took third, thanks to a passed ball, and a batter later he was crossing home plate as Julio Raymundo recorded the first RBI of the game.
The Fighting Owls kept things going in the second with Nutter, leading off with a double to right center field. Sophomore Evelio Ahumada would follow that up with a single to left-field. Both players were driven in one batter later when sophomore Vincent Prado drove the ball to left-field giving Citrus an early 3-0 lead.
Freshman James Janclaes would get the call to start on the hill for the Fighting Owls, striking out four batters in the first two innings. Janclaes ran into a bit of trouble however in the third inning giving up two runs (one earned) as the Wolverines fought back to within a run of the Citrus lead after a Sam Konoff double to left-field.
With a slim lead, Citrus turned the ball over to freshman Timothy Pomierski who put in 3 innings of solid work, never allowing a runner past second base in his time on the hill.
With Pomierski cruising the Fighting Owls gave him a little more breathing room in the sixth as Citrus put two more runs on the board, one thanks to a single to left-field by Nutter, and the other off a Joseph Garcia double to left-center that scored Nutter and gave Citrus a 5-2 cushion.
San Bernardino would add another run in the seventh, but an insurance run thanks to an Ahumada single in bottom of the eighth, would be enough for Citrus to put away the Wolverines.
In the ninth Citrus sent closer Aaron Illhareguy to the mound. Illhareguy pitched well, giving up an unearned run, striking out a batter, and picking up his first save of the season.
The Fighting Owls will be back at home on Saturday as they are scheduled to host Mt. San Jacinto College for a double-header. Game one is scheduled for 11:00 AM.
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