Owls Mercy Vaqueros

Citrus College opened with a bang and kept going, grabbing a 9-1 run-rule victory over Santa Barbara City College.

The Owls improve to 5-9, while the Vaqueros drop to 3-12.

Three Owls finished with two hits, led by Patty Rodriguez' 2-for-3 performance with three runs scored and another batted in. Layla Prieto went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs, while Isabella Ramirez went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.

Recent addition to the Citrus lineup Jaidyn Harris threw six innings in the circle, striking out seven batters and allowing just one run to grab her first win of the year.

The Owls got things going with three runs in their first chance at the plate. With one out and a runner on second, Ramirez drilled a base hit up the middle to score the first run. Prieto drove in two more runs with a triple to center before the Vaqueros got out of the inning.

Santa Barbara responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame, but it was all Harris and her defense would allow as Citrus scored six unanswered runs to end the game early.

The Owls scored two runs in the third off a sacrifice fly from Mia Godoy and a Tatiana Figueroa RBI double, before an error and a fielder's choice tacked on two more in the fifth.

In the top of the sixth with one runner on and one out, Ramirez blasted a triple to center, sending in one run, and then tagged up on a fly ball to give the Owls a 9-1 upper hand.

It put pressure on the Vaqueros to score at least one run to keep the game going, but Citrus took Santa Barbara down in order to seal the mercy win.

Citrus heads to Allan Hancock College on Friday for a doubleheader with the first game scheduled to start at noon.