Cats sweep Owls for 5-0 start

The Saddleback softball team improved to 5-0 with a pair of victories over Citrus College on Wednesday afternoon at the Saddleback Softball Complex.  It's the best start for the program since 2021.

Saddleback defeated Citrus 6-3 and 8-0 as the offense combined for 21 hits in 12 innings.  The Bobcats trailed 1-0 in the opening game heading to the bottom half of the fourth inning when they exploded for four runs to take a lead they would never relinquish.  Macy Smith started the scoring when she doubled home Ka'ui Garcia to even the game at 1-1.  Later in the inning Alexa Pfutzenreuter singled home both Smith and Mia Fogle and the Cats were off and running.

Saddleback added two more runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning as the lead increased to 6-2.  The Bobcats would hang on for a 6-3 win after Citrus scored a run in the top half of the seventh and had the tying run at the plate. 

Smith started on the mound and pitched a complete game in picking up her second win of the season.  She also finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs-scored.  Fogle, Pfutzenreuter and Tasneem Kerdiya also had two hits apiece in the game.

Game two belonged to the Bobcats from start to finish.  Saddleback took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the opening inning when Smith doubled home McKenzie Lombard for an early advantage.

Saddleback tacked on a run in the bottom half of the third inning when Ka'ui Garcia launched a ball over the left field wall (pictured) for her first homer of the season.  The homer ignited the offense, which scored six more times in the bottom half of the fourth inning to set up a mercy rule situation.  Saddleback had five hits in the inning and sent nine batters to the plate.

Pfutzenreuter started and was brilliant throughout.  She recorded seven straight outs by way of strikeouts to start the game and finished with 11 for the game in improving to 3-0 for the season.  Ka'ui Garcia finished 3-for-3 with two runs-scored and three RBI to lead the offense.

Saddleback is now 5-0 to start the season.  It's the first 5-0 start since the COVID-shortened season in 2021.  The Bobcats will try to make it six in a row on Friday when they host Long Beach City College.  The Bobcats and Vikings are scheduled to start at 1:00 PM on Friday at the Saddleback Softball Complex.