SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Santa Ana Baseball team (6-5) took advantage of a hot start on Saturday, as they defeated the San Diego Mesa Olympians (4-6) by a score of 6-3 in the last of their three game homestand.
Santa Ana put a ton of pressure on the Olympians in the bottom of the first by putting the ball in play and forcing them to play solid defense. The Dons scored four runs in the inning on four hits and three Olympian errors to gain an early lead.
Raymond Villanueva came in for the first run on a throwing error and then Juan Gonzalez singled to bring in Nathan Flores for the second. After Bryan Leef hit a shot into the right center field gap for an RBI triple, Cage Massey finished the rally with a single through the right side to bring home the fourth and final run of the inning.
San Diego Mesa tagged one run on the Dons in the second inning and a couple in the sixth to threaten but couldn't complete the comeback against the Santa Ana pitching staff.
Starting pitcher Braeden Wallace earned the win, going five and a third with three earned runs and a strikeout. Cole Hoskins relieved him in the sixth inning with a man on second and third and one down. Hoskins exchanged a run for an out and then forced a routine grounder to get out of the jam and help the Dons retain a 4-3 lead.
The Dons added a couple more runs to give Hoskins a cushion but he wouldn't need it, as he recorded his second save of the season by going the three and two third innings with no runs and two strikeouts.
With the win, Santa Ana takes their second straight and finishes 2-2 for the week. Next, the Dons will start a series against College of the Desert on the road Tuesday, Feb. 20th at 2:00 p.m. and then turn around to host the Road Runners and Thursday at 2:00 p.m.