The Dons escaped with a 4-3 walk-off win in extra innings over Fullerton College when the Hornets sixth error of the game rolled into left field, allowing Dylan Jones to score the game-winning run in the 10th inning.
The Dons (18-6, 7-4) needed the win to keep pace with Riverside City College and Orange Coast College in the Orange Empire Conference standings. With all three teams winning today, Orange Coast remains in first place while the Dons and Riverside are tied for second.
Today's win didn't come easy for the Dons despite the six errors by the Hornets (8-15-1, 3-8). The Dons went up 2-0 after two innings with a run in each of the first two innings.
Tyler Madrid singled in Geoff Schuller in the first inning before Blake Walker singled in Adrian Garcia in the second inning. Garcia's run was aided by the first Hornets error.
Following that inning, the Dons were able to get baserunners aboard in each inning but the third, but failed to score another run until the ninth.
Fullerton had its struggles as well with the Hornets first run coming across in the fifth inning when Ryan Joyce scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryan Sothern. The Hornets tied the game in the eighth inning when Aaron Delgado scored on a bunt single by Joyce.
The Hornets then took their first lead of the game at 3-2 in the top of the ninth inning on a solo home run by Sothern to left field.
The Dons went to the bottom of the ninth needing a rally to extend the game. Trevor Magno led the frame off by reaching on an error before being caught stealing.
Schuller then tripled to right-centerfield before scoring the game-tying run on a balk. The balk was charged when Dylan Denker started to throw home but never released the ball allowing the game to go into extra innings.
Fullerton threatened to score in the top of the tenth inning but Travis Hawley, who allowed a leadoff single and hit a batter, got the final two batters to pop up, setting up the Dons walk-off win.
Jones led off the bottom of the tenth with a walk before the next two Dons batters were retired. Blake Walker was then hit by a pitch, setting up runners at first and second for Magno.
With a 1-2 count on Magno, the next pitch skipped in the dirt allowing Jones to break for third base. The throw appeared to beat Jones to the bag but was off-line and rolled into shallow left field, allowing Jones to score the game-winning run.
Hawley (2-0) got the win for the Dons after he held the Hornets scoreless over one inning while Eddie Rivera (0-4) suffered the loss despite holding the Dons hitless in .2 innings pitched.
Bruce Tolliver started the game for the Dons, leaving with a 2-1 lead but didn't factor into the decision. His final line was one run on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks in 5.1 innings of work.
