SANTA ANA, Calif. – Santa Ana baseball overpowered the Irvine Valley Lasers (10-8, 0-2) in Orange Empire Conference play with 11 runs on 13 hits to take game two of the series by a score of 11-2.

The Dons jumped out to an early lead with a four run first inning to set the tone for the day.

Grant Askins doubled off the left field wall to bring in Micah Pietila-Wiggs for the first run. Cedrick Perez followed right behind him with a single through the left side of the infield for another run. And to cap it off, Derek Sims hit a ball into the right centerfield gap, stretching it to a triple to drive in the last two runs of the inning.

Although the Lasers responded quickly with two runs in the next half inning, Santa Ana just continued to find ways to score while the pitching staff found its rhythm, resulting in a sizable lead for the Dons.  

Austin Bartlett had a 2-for-4 game, driving in three runs with two extra base hits to raise his average to .385. Left fielder Kyle Morrell recorded three hits including two double and a couple runs batted in, giving the Dons another big weapon at the end of their lineup. Morrell is now hitting .345 in the nine hole of Santa Ana's lineup.

Right hander Cole Samuels won his fourth game of the season after going six innings with three strikeouts while allowing just two runs. Cade Nash and Joel Casillas combined for three strikeouts and three scoreless innings to finish things off.

UP NEXT: Santa Ana (17-2, 2-0) will go for the series sweep on Saturday at Irvine Valley College. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m.