Softball Celebrates Sophomore Day with 13-5 Win

No. 18 ranked Citrus College defeated Victor Valley College 13-5 in five innings on Wednesday, April 22, in its final regular season home game, marking Sophomore Day. The win puts the Owls at 27-13 overall and 7-5 in conference.

The Citrus sophomores shined as the Owls used a balanced offensive attack and a big fifth inning to pull away.

Victor Valley struck first on a solo home run in the opening inning, but Citrus answered immediately in the bottom half. Sophomore Mia Godoy delivered a two-run double to give the Owls a 2-1 lead.

Citrus added to its advantage in the second inning as Aalijah Aranda doubled in a run and Alivia Martinez followed with an RBI single to make it 4-1.

Victor Valley chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth innings, but the Owls responded each time. Citrus took advantage of an error in the third to extend the lead, then added three more runs in the fourth behind RBI singles from Jocelyn Escobedo and Aranda to go up 8-3.

The Rams made it a three-run game in the fifth on a two-run home run, but Citrus quickly put the game out of reach in the bottom half.

The Owls put up five runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Godoy and a two-run single from Isabel Tyrrell. Citrus also capitalized on an error and a bases-loaded walk to cap the scoring at 13-5.

Aranda led the way offensively with multiple hits and three RBIs, finishing a double shy of the cycle while consistently driving the ball to all fields. Godoy paced the top of the lineup with two doubles, three RBIs and multiple runs scored, setting the tone early and again in the decisive fifth inning.

Tyrrell delivered in the clutch with a two-run single in the fifth, while Martinez reached base multiple times and drove in a run as part of a productive day for the middle of the order. Escobedo also added an RBI knock, and Citrus saw contributions throughout the lineup with timely hitting in key spots.

In the circle, Camila Abundis (W, 4-1) earned the win, tossing a complete five-inning effort. She allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned) without issuing a walk, working efficiently to keep Victor Valley off balance and limit extended innings.

The Owls will now await the 3C2A Regional Playoff seeding to see who they will match up with in the first round.