BASEBALL: Owls Can't Overcome Big Inning

A costly fifth inning was too much to overcome for Citrus College Tuesday afternoon as the Fighting Owls dropped a 5-3 loss to Mt. San Jacinto College.

The Owls fall to 6-7 on the year, while the Eagles soar to 3-8 overall.

Citrus capitalized first, scoring one run in the bottom of the first. Go Hattori led the inning off with a single to left and was joined on base by Kanta Kobayashi (single) and Jack Strickland (hit by pitch) to load the bases. Hattori scored on the next play, but the Eagles got three outs before the Owls could tack more on.

Andrew Duran added some insurance in the bottom of the second, blasting a no-doubter over the fence at left field, 2-0.

The fifth inning proved to be Citrus' undoing as the Eagles scored five runs on four hits to take the lead, 5-2.

Hoping to put together a late comeback, the Owls started a rally in the seventh. Justin Sankey opened the inning off with a triple off the wall in the gap between center and right field. Tyler Kretschma followed with a base hit through the right side, but it was the most the Owls would score as the Eagles secured the 5-3 victory.

The Owls next head to Cypress Thursday for a 2:00 p.m. game time.