Owls Rally Late to Walk Off Santa Barbara, 4–3

Citrus College Baseball earned a 4–3 win over Santa Barbara City College at home Thursday, February 12. The victory moves the No. 23-ranked Owls to 6–2 overall, while SBCC drops to 3–6 on the season.

Santa Barbara scored in the opening inning with an RBI double to right, then added another run on a sacrifice fly to take a 2–0 lead. Citrus broke through in the sixth as Derek Almeda singled up the middle to plate Dominic Torrez and cut the deficit to one. In the seventh, Garrett Patterson doubled and advanced to third on the throw, allowing Cole West to score and tie the game at 2–2.

Santa Barbara regained the lead in the ninth when a runner stole third and scored on a catcher's error following a strikeout, making it 3–2. Citrus answered immediately in the bottom half, tying the game when Royce Mendoza scored on a wild pitch before West crossed the plate on another wild pitch to complete the comeback and secure the 4–3 win.

At the plate, West led the way, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a double, while Almeda also recorded two hits and an RBI. Patterson finished 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a walk, and Beau Lloyd added a hit in two at-bats. Julian Hines chipped in a hit, and Torrez scored once. As a team, Citrus totaled seven hits, two walks and four runs, with West, Patterson and Torrez each stealing a base.

On the mound, Conner Luetto tossed seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk. Gabe Buranasiri (1–0) earned the win in relief, giving up one unearned run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts over two innings. Luetto and Buranasiri combined for nine innings, seven hits allowed, three runs (two earned), one walk and 10 strikeouts.

Up next, the Owls travel to face Pasadena City College on Saturday, February 14, at 12 p.m. in a Valentine's Day rematch after falling 5–4 at home in the teams' previous meeting Jan. 24.