SANTA ANA - After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, it took the Dons just three swings of the bat to rally for a 7-4 win over Golden West College. The win is the Dons (21-10, 9-6) fifth-straight victory that, coupled with Santiago Canyon College's loss at Saddleback College, pulls the Dons within one game of third place in the Orange Empire Conference standings.

Golden West (8-19, 3-11) took advantage of three walks and four hits, three in the infield, to take an early 4-0 lead over the Dons. The Rustlers first run came in on a bases loaded walk before a two-run single made it 3-0. The final run of the inning came in on a passed ball.

The Dons cut the lead in half in the second inning on a two-run home run by Heather Robertson that also scored Becky Poirier. Then, in the third inning, Sabrina Perez put the Dons up 5-4 with a three-run home run. Karina Rosas and Alexandra Perkins each scored on the home run.

The three-run blast was Perez's eighth home run of the season, tying the SAC record that Devon Rodriguez also shares.

Alexandra Perkins gave the Dons a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning when she doubled in Robertson and Eryn Martinez to put the Dons up 7-4.

After the shaky start, Rodriguez (12-3) settled down on the mound and shut the Rustlers out over the final six innings. After facing 10 batters in one inning, Rodriguez only allowed three base runners for the rest of the game to get the win. Her final line was four runs, three earned, on seven hits over seven innings. Kiley Eskridge (4-10) took the loss for Golden West as she allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over four innings.