Mt. SAC Squeaks Past Citrus in 3-2 Victory

GLENDORA – The Citrus College baseball team was unable to complete the sweep of its two game series against Mt. SAC Thursday afternoon.  The Mounties, behind Tyler Garkow’s complete game was able to squeak by with a 3-2 victory.  Citrus took the first game between the two teams 10-6 Tuesday afternoon.

 “We committed a couple of errors early in the today’s game which led to their runs,” Citrus coach Steve Gomez said. “We lost to Canyon earlier this year by the same score in the same manner. We broke down defensively.”

Despite giving up a run in the first inning, Citrus  starter Mikey Ramirez (6-2) would be able to keep Mt. SAC at bay, allowing only one more run before being lifted in the sixth inning.  Ramirez would finish giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits, two strikeouts and a walk. He would pick up a no-decision.

Mt. SAC would strike first as Josh Surdo would open the game with a single.  Matt Winkler would sacrifice him to second and will eventually score on Jacob Shirley’s single.  Mt. SAC would score again in the fifth to take an early 2-0 lead.

Citrus, however would not go away easily.

Back to back singles by Luis Hernandez and Nick Oddo would put Owls on first and second base.  Scott Stephenson would then sacrifice them to second and third.  Hernandez would score on Charles Ball’s RBI single.  Oddo would later score on Nicholas Bergara’s RBI single.

Ball, who was held to 1 of 4 with the one run batted in led three players who were 2 of 4 in Tuesday’s game.  Shane Fraijo, who was a perfect 3 of 3 on Tuesday was held to 0 for 3 Thursday.

“We swung the bat very well Tuesday,” Gomez said. “There’s not too much you can do to prepare.  Players will get injured, get into slumps, etc., but we are counting on the guys who took us this far.”

Raymond Ortega would single and score what would prove to be the go ahead run for the Mounties  in the eighth inning.

Citrus concludes the season with two against LA Pierce College beginning next Tuesday.  First pitch is at 2:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

SCHOOL NAME        1  2  3     4  5  6     7  8  9     R  H  E

MT. SAN ANTONIO       1 0  0        1  0  0         0  1  0         3  11  0

CITRUS COLLEGE          0  0  0       0  2  0         0  0  0         0  5  1

WP- Tyler Garkow (3-4)                                 LP – Oscar Gomez (0-1)