Owls Outhustle Rustlers

In a back-and-forth game, Citrus College grabbed the last laugh with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to grab a 14-9 victory over Golden West College.

The Owls improve to 3-5 with their second-straight win. The Rustlers drop to 1-1 on the year.

Golden West struck first with a run in the top of the first, but Citrus answered right back and then some in the bottom half of the inning.

With two runners on and no outs, Layla Prieto laced a base hit through the left side to score one run before Patty Rodriguez doubled to drive in another. Mia Godoy kept things going with an RBI single.

The Owls loaded the bases with two outs and in her second appearance at the plate, Isabella Ramirez turned on a pitch and sent it sailing over the fence in right to tack four more runs on, giving Citrus an 8-1 lead.

The Rustlers scored back two in the top of the second, but the Owls added another run in the bottom of the frame off a sacrifice from Godoy to score Prieto, 9-3.

Golden West made things interesting in the third, plating six runs to tie the game at 9-9.

Neither team would capitalize for the next six half innings until the Owls came alive in the bottom of the sixth.

Jillian Walker came in as a pinch hitter and laid down a perfect bunt to get on base before a Ramirez single and a Rustler error loaded the bases with one out. Prieto singled through the gap between third base and shortstop to score the go-ahead run and Rodriguez drilled a homer just inside the left-field foul pole to tack on several insurance runs, 14-9.

The Rustlers got out of the inning but found themselves trailing by five. The Owls weren't going to allow any sort of rally, taking the visitors down in order to secure the 14-9 victory.

Citrus and Golden West turn right around to face each other again on Wednesday at 3 p.m., this time on the Rustlers' field.