Owls Roll to 18-2 Win At LA Valley Behind Big Third Inning

No. 16 ranked Citrus College Softball defeated Los Angeles Valley College 18-2 in five innings due to the mercy rule on Tuesday, April 7 at LA Valley College. The win improves the Owls to 24-11 overall and 6-3 in conference.

The Owls opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Jaelynn Eaves came around to score on an error, with Jocelyn Escobedo reaching and driving in the unearned run for a 1-0 lead.

Citrus added to its lead in the third inning, again taking advantage of a defensive miscue as Eaves scored on an error to make it 2-0. The inning quickly unraveled from there. Miranda McKiernan jumpstarted the rally with a two-run double to left center, bringing home Escobedo and Mia Godoy. Brooke Whiteman followed with an RBI single to score Izzy Poveda, and Alivia Martinez added a two-run single to plate Aalijah Aranda and McKiernan.

Jaelynn Eaves continued the inning with an RBI single to bring in Whiteman, and Godoy added a sacrifice fly to score Martinez. With two outs, McKiernan delivered the biggest blow of the inning, launching a grand slam to center field to score Escobedo, Eaves and Grace Twente, capping a 12-run inning and giving Citrus a commanding 13-0 lead.

The Owls kept the pressure on in the fifth inning. McKiernan led off the frame with her second home run of the game, a solo shot to center. Martinez followed with an RBI double to left center, scoring Aranda, and Eaves added an RBI single to bring home Whiteman. A wild pitch allowed Martinez to score, and later in the inning McKiernan drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run—her career-high and team-best this season (tied with Eaves) eighth RBI of the game—extending the lead to 18-0.

Los Angeles Valley pushed across two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the deficit was too large to overcome.

McKiernan finished 3-for-4 with two home runs—her second and third of the season—and eight RBIs to lead Citrus offensively. Martinez added three hits and three RBIs, while Eaves scored four runs and drove in two, extending her state-leading RBI total to 67. Whiteman also recorded three hits in the win.

In the circle, Brissa Ayon (W, 19-8) earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings while striking out three and walking one.

Citrus will have a quick turnaround as they host East Los Angeles College for a non-conference game on Wednesday, April 8 at 2 p.m.