Citrus Clinches First WSC-South Title
The Citrus College Softball team made history last week, capturing their first Western State Conference-South championship in over 10 years with a 4-0 victory over Antelope Valley College. | ORIGINAL RELEASE
With the win, the Owls improved to 22-14 overall and finished conference play at 10-2 to secure the title. The Marauders fell to 27-7 on the season and 8-3 in league action.
Citrus came out sharp from the first pitch. In the top of the first inning, with two outs and AVC threatening with runners on second and third, Alivia Martinez made a clutch defensive play—fielding a hard-hit ball in right field and gunning down the runner at first base to keep the game scoreless.
The Owls capitalized quickly. In the bottom half of the inning, Jaelynn Eaves crossed the plate after Rylee Praytor reached on a Marauder error, giving Citrus an early 1-0 lead.
In the second, Alivia Martinez delivered again—this time with her bat—driving in Aalijah Aranda with a single to extend the lead to 2-0. The momentum kept rolling in the third, when Ava Camarena crushed a towering solo home run, her second of the season, to push the lead to 3-0.
Camarena added another spark in the sixth inning, swiping third base and scoring on an error to make it 4-0. The Owls shut the door in the seventh with a clean 1-2-3 inning from Caitlin Kelley, who went the distance for a complete-game shutout.
Kelley (W, 16-10) was lights-out in the circle, scattering just five hits and keeping the Marauders off the board all afternoon.
Ava Camarena led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, an RBI, and her 31st stolen base of the season—fifth-most in the state. Martinez added a hit, a run, and her 37th stolen base, currently second in the state. Eaves also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a run scored.
With the conference crown secured—marking the program's fourth overall—Citrus College will close out the regular season slate with four non-conference events down the stretch.
