SANTA ANA - The Dons kept themselves in a tie for first place in the Orange Empire Conference with their dominant 18-0 win over Irvine Valley College. Three pitchers combined to hold the Lasers (7-10) to just one hit while the Dons (14-3) compiled 16 hits in the victory.

Early on, the game belonged to the starting pitchers as the two teams played to a scoreless tie through three innings. Irvine Valley held the advantage as the Lasers put five baserunners on via three walks, an error and a hit batter. But Richard Diaz responded each time for the Dons, keeping the Lasers from crossing home plate.

The Dons, on the other hand, put three runners with two hits and a walk but left them all stranded. Finally, in the fourth inning, Cody Bergeson singled in Daniel Martinez for the game's first run. In the next at bat, Joshua Vargas put the Dons up 3-0 with a two-run home run to right field.

After adding a run in the fifth inning, the Dons busted the game open with an eight-run sixth inning, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles by Martinez and Tyler Madrid.

The Dons had another big inning in the seventh as they scored six runs, just one earned, on five hits. The inning was aided by an IVC error as well as a pair of walks and a hit batter. Julio Garcia chipped in a two-run single while Geoff Schuller, Ryan Aguilar and Derek Meddings each got one RBI apiece.

On the mound, Richard Diaz started the Dons day as he held the Lasers to just one hit over six innings while striking out six batters. Sean Slettvet pitched two perfect innings before Ryan Chapman ended the game in the ninth. The one IVC hit, a leadoff single in the fourth, was nearly caught by a leaping Vargas at second base.

The Dons travel to Riverside City College for their next game on Tuesday, March 12. First pitch is at 2:00 p.m.