Azusa, CA (Softball) – The Citrus College softball team suffered their fourth loss in their six games with a 1-0 loss to Fullerton College on Tuesday afternoon. Citrus mustered just three hits and never got a runner past second base in the non-conference contest.
The first four innings proved to be a pitchers duel, with neither combatant giving much leeway to the other. Citrus’ Brittany Patterson gave up just four hits through the first four innings, while her counterpart Brandi Escarzaga surrendered just three in that same span.
Citrus’ lone threat through the first half of the game came in the very first inning when the Lady Owls found themselves with runners on first and second after back to back singles from Ashley Rollice and Melanie Hansen. Citrus came up short however, as Cassie Ward grounded out, and Desiree Perez struck out swinging to end the threat and the inning.
It would be much of the same for the Hornets, as Patterson didn’t allow a runner past second base until the top of the fifth. In the fifth, Fullerton made their move when they caught the Citrus defense sleeping with a runner on first base. As Alex Huizar laid down a sacrifice bunt, runner Veronica Hernandez reached second and after Huizar was called out, stole third when Citrus’ entire defense had her back to her. One batter later Brittany Bell drove in Hernandez with a base hit up the middle, giving the Hornets a slim 1-0 lead.
With Fullerton holding an approachable lead, the Lady Owls stumbled, as Escarzaga faced just one more over the minimum amount of possible batters she could face over the fifth and sixth innings. With the Hornets unable to add to their lead, it would come down to the bottom of the seventh.
Citrus’ Desiree Perez would lead off the inning, but Escarzaga would make quick work of her sitting her down swinging on a 2-2 pitch up high. Escarzaga would work up the same count with the next batter, Christina Skelton, but this time Escarzaga would get Citrus to pop out to her first baseman. Three pitches later, Ezscarzaga picked up the win as she struck out Sophomore Denise Hernandez for her fifth K of the game.
With the loss the Lady Owls fall to 17-10 overall, while pitcher Brittany Patterson’s record moves to 10-9. Citrus will get back into conference play on Thursday March 20, as they travel to Valley Glen, CA for a 2:30 showdown with LA Valley College.
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