With Citrus College players standing on every base and the Fullerton College softball team holding onto an 11-8 lead, umpires ruled that there was not enough light to continue the game and handed the Hornets a win in the top of the seventh inning.
The game, played yesterday at the FC softball field, left the Owls dissatisfied after their opportunity to leave with a win was take from them.
After the game, Coach Marian Mendoza was honest with her team about their good fortune.
“They caught some breaks and lucked out,” Mendoza said. She also stated that errors were made throughout the game but that the Hornets all rallied together to play like champions.
The Hornets started off the game with a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Designated hitter Nicole Pratt doubled in two runs in the
In the third inning, outfielder Bianca Espinoza hit a home run, setting a nice pace for the game at 5-1.
During the fifth inning, starting pitcher Alyssa Felipe was replaced as fatigue was setting in and she started to lose her ball control. According to Coach Mendoza, she did not want the opponent to continue building their momentum, so the decision was made to change pitchers.
Nicole Pratt stepped up to the pitcher’s circle to relieve Felipe, but was hit by the Owls pretty hard as they managed to score four runs to take the lead in the top of the sixth. Felipe supported her teammate from the dugout, chanting and cheering along with her team but was prepared to return to the mound when her coach called her back in.
Felipe stated she was happy to be able to redeem herself, and the rest of the team kickied into gear offensively by scoring five runs in the sixth. One of which was attributed to infielder, Elena Sanchez successfully stealing a base.
Despite all of the Hornets hard work, it was the official call that gave the team the victory and as Espinoza expressed, “a win is a win.”
Jackie Boxley, the Citrus College softball head coach, did not agree with the umpire’s decision, but thought her team could use it as motivation looking forward.
“We are only getting better and better and this [call] just gets our girls more fired up,” Boxley said.
The game was a bit of a rebound for the Hornets (9-2) after suffering their first two losses of the season in shutouts against Palomar and Cypress.
The Hornets will take on Santiago Canyon at home on Wed., Feb. 19th at 3p.m.