SBVC (4-8) is trying to dig out of their early season hole and another victim of that ascension is one of their oldest and most bitter rivals, the Glendora Citrus Fighting Owls (5-6), 3-2.

The rivalry between SBVC and Citrus in baseball was at times brutal and physical in the past, but the overall record speaks to that kind of competition as the Fighting Owls have an 89-85 advantage since 1927. For years, SBVC and Citrus played in the same Conference, the old Mission Conference, and when it came to deciding a champion it was either SBVC or Citrus on top. Today's game was a harken back to those hardnosed, well played games, where a bunt to move a runner over was just as crucial as an accidental error on a pickoff attempt.

 Freshman left handed starting pitcher Sam Fitzgerald (Lake Elsinore H.S.) tossed six strong innings, surrendering two runs, none earned on six hits, walking two and striking out seven in the no decision. Freshman right handed pitcher Ralph Mohammed (Grand Terrace H.S.) threw and inning and walked three, striking out one.

 Citrus opened up the scoring, with a run in the second and third, then the SBVC bats woke up. In the bottom of the fourth, freshman second baseman Jonathan McCray (Riverside Martin Luther King, Jr.) reached on a bunt single and got to second on an error by the pitcher. After back-to-back sacrifice flies McCray scored to get SBVC to within one, 2-1.

 SBVC would tie things up in the fifth, after a sac fly by McCray plated sophomore center fielder Titus Carlson (Moreno Valley Valley View). SBVC eventually took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, freshman right fielder Austin Berglund (Etiwanda H.S.) clobbered a two out double to left and was brought home on a single to right by Carlson.

 Sophomore right handed pitcher Luis Villarreal (2-0) (Colton H.S.) added two innings of work to close out the win, giving up a hit, a walk and striking out two in grabbing his second victory of the season.

 Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.