Late Homer Sends No. 19 Citrus Softball to Narrow 5-4 Defeat

No. 19 in the state ranked Citrus College fell to Saddleback College, 5–4, as the Bobcats hit a walk-off home run in Tuesday's road matchup on February 10. The result came one week after Citrus earned a 10–2 mercy-rule win over Saddleback at home in five innings. The loss moves Citrus to 7–4 overall on the season.

Citrus jumped ahead in the top of the second when Aalijah Aranda doubled to left-center, driving in Anaya Burley, Izzy Poveda and Mia Godoy to give the Owls a 3–0 lead. Saddleback responded in the fourth with an RBI single, then tied the game in the fifth on a two-run double. Later in the inning, the Bobcats added another run to move ahead 4–3.

The Owls tied it in the sixth as Jaelynn Eaves doubled to left-center to score Grace Twente, but Saddleback's leadoff hitter in the seventh inning hit a walk-off home run.

Twente paced Citrus offensively, going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Aranda drove in three runs with a double, and Eaves added a double and an RBI as Citrus finished with six hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

In the circle, Brissa Ayon (7–2) took the loss despite allowing just three earned runs over six innings.

Citrus will travel to face No. 9 state-ranked Cypress College at 2 p.m. on Thursday, February 12.