For the second time in a week, the Dons avoided a series sweep, this time with a 7-6 win over first place Orange Coast College. The win preserves the Dons streak of over seven seasons without being swept in an Orange Empire Conference series.
This win didn't come easy, however, as the Dons (19-7, 8-5) found themselves trailing the Pirates (24-3-1, 11-2) 4-1 in the top of the sixth inning. Coast scored the first run of the game in the second inning, following a Dons error.
The Pirates would return the favor in the third inning when Geoff Schuller, who walked, reached third base on a throwing error. He would come around to score the tying run on a RBI-groundout by Andy Peterson.
Bryan Garza put the Pirates back on top, 3-1, in the fourth inning when he singled in Joel Licon and Stefan Sabol. Both Licon and Sabol reached on singles earlier in the inning.
The Pirates then extended their lead to 4-1 in the sixth inning on Bijan Rademacher's solo home run. The home run came after Garrett Wilson had retired seven straight batters.
It was in the bottom of the sixth inning that the Dons began to rally. Tyler Madrid led the frame off with a single before Kyle Kuck duplicated the feat. After Madrid was picked off at second, Dylan Jones drew a walk.
Konnor Armijo then reached on an error to load the bases before Adrian Garcia hit a two-run single to left field, scoring Kuck and Jones to pull the Dons within one at 4-3.
Coast came back in the top of the seventh inning with a leadoff single by Justin Broussard. An error on the play allowed Broussard to take second before Ben Agredano moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. Trent Woodward then hit a pinch hit, sacrifice fly to score Broussard, giving the Pirates a 5-3 lead.
The Dons had an answer in the bottom half of the seventh with Peterson leading the frame off with a single to right field. Madrid followed with a two-run home run to right field, tying the game at 5-5.
Kuck then drew a walk before Jones' sacrifice bunt moved him to second. Konnor Armijo followed with another walk before an error advanced both runners.
With runners at second and third, it was Garcia again who delivered, this time with a sacrifice fly scoring Kuck for the Dons first lead of the game at 6-5. JB Bryant then reached on an error, allowing Armijo to score what would prove to be an important insurance run.
Neither team scored in the eighth as Wilson came out in the ninth to earn his third complete game of the season. After a leadoff triple by Rademacher, Garza hit a RBI-groundout to pull Coast within one at 7-6.
But Wilson (6-1) was undeterred as he got Broussard to line out and Agredano to pop up, giving the Dons the 7-6 win. Wilson's final line was six runs, four earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts.
Coast's starter, Brandon Brennan, didn't factor in the decision after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits in 5.2 innings pitched. The first arm out of the bullpen, Josh Evans, surrendered three runs on two hits while getting just one out. With the loss, Evans falls to 1-1 on the season.
