Dons Complete Sweep of Riverside City with 5-2 Victory

Kevin Clementi delivers a pitch against Riverside City College. After allowing back-to-back singles to start the game, Clementi retired the final 16 batters he faced.
Kevin Clementi delivers a pitch against Riverside City College. After allowing back-to-back singles to start the game, Clementi retired the final 16 batters he faced.

SANTA ANA - The Dons completed the season sweep of Riverside City College behind a strong starting performance by Kevin Clementi. After allowing back-to-back singles to open the game, Clementi retired the final 16 batters he faced in order.

The win keeps the Dons in a tie for second place in the Orange Empire Conference standings with a 6-3 record in conference and a 15-7 overall record. The loss drops Riverside to 10-12 overall and 4-5 in conference.

Riverside scored first on two-straight singles in the first inning. There was an error on the second hit that alllowed Nick King, who reached on an infield single, to score. After that, the game was controlled by Clementi who retired the next 16 batters in order.

The Tigers next baserunner didn't reach base until the sixth inning during the first at bat of the game without Clementi on the mound. However, the bullpen did it's job over the final 3.2 innings holding Riverside to just one run.

Clementi (1-2) got his first win of the season as he held the Tigers to just one run, unearned, on two hits over 5.1 innings. Tyler Rowe (3-2) took the loss despite holding the Dons to just three hits. However, Rowe walked five batters, including two that would go on to score later in the inning.

Offensively, the Dons tied the game at 1-1 in the second when Frankie Nogales doubled in Troy Baird who reached on a lead-off walk. Then, in the third inning, the Dons took their first lead at 2-1 when Ryan Aguilar plated Nestor Linares with a RBI-ground out. The Dons third run came in the fifth inning when Aguilar reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Joshua Vargas to score.

After Riverside cut the lead to 3-2 in the eighth inning, the Dons extended their lead to 5-2 when Cody Bistline singled in Baird and Daniel Martinez, Jr.