Citrus Sweeps Series with West LA

Citrus College swept West LA in a doubleheader Saturday, dominating a 12-0 victory in the opener, and battled from behind to win 8-6 in the nightcap.

The Owls improve to 8-19 overall and 4-8 in Western State Conference action. The Wildcats drop to 5-21 on the year and 2-10 in conference.

In the opener, Andrew Granados threw lights out, allowing just one hit with no runs and striking out eight batters to pick up the first win of his career.

Offensively, Nicholas Santiago was a home run shy of a cycle, going 4-for-4 – two singles, a double, and a triple – with three runs and three RBIs. Devon Diaz also had a solid performance at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with two runs scored and another three batted in.

In the nightcap, the Owls had to battle back after finding themselves trailing by three after the first inning.

With two outs and two runners on, Aaron Martinez (2-for-4, four RBIs) got a rally going with a base hit to center field, allowing Santiago to come home before Connor Green stole home to put the Owls within one.

The Wildcats tacked two more runs on in the fourth to increase their lead to 5-2 before Martinez drilled a three-run home run to tie the game up at 5-5.

West LA took a one-run lead again, but once again Citrus tied things up off a sacrifice fly from Diaz in the seventh.

Jordan Sheridan came in clutch as a pinch hitter in the eighth, sending two runners home with a single to the gap between center field and right field to put the Owls up 8-6.

Kaj James came in to close out the game and threw two strikeouts and a fly ball to secure the win for Citrus and his second save of the year. Joe Jimenez picked up the win on the mound for the Owls.

Citrus takes a break from conference action next week, hosting Mt. San Antonio on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.