SANTA ANA – Despite being outhit 12-3, the Dons found a way to pick up a 2-1 win over Santiago Canyon College in an Orange Empire Conference game. The win improves the Dons to 9-8 overall and 5-1 in conference while Santiago Canyon falls to 9-6 and 3-4 in conference.

The Hawks scored first in the first inning on an infield single by Kaitlynn Lanksbury with the bases loaded. After the hit, the ball hit off a base runner and the play was stopped. Ashley Clark, who led the inning off with a single, scored on the play to put SCC up 2-1.

But the Dons would come back with a pair of runs in the third inning while taking advantage of a pair of errors. Vanessa Moreno reached on an error with one out before moving to second on a groundout. Annie Dowling then singled down the left field line, scoring Moreno from second to tie the game.

After Tori Ferguson singled to centerfield, Marissa Moser reached on an error, allowing Dowling to score from second to put the Dons up 2-1.

That score would hold for the remainder of the game as the main story belonged to Victoria Franks and the Dons defense. After the Dons claimed the lead, Santiago Canyon got six hits while putting 11 runners on base.

But Franks found a way to get out of every jam as her defense made the necessary plays behind her to preserve the lead. That proved to be that much more important as Moser was the final batter to reach base for the Dons for the remainder of the game.

Franks (9-6) picked up the win as she recorded all but one out while allowing one run on 12 hits. Kirstin Gutierrez faced one batter, in the fifth inning, and got a flyout. Stephanie Pelletier (3-4) took the tough loss as she allowed two unearned runs while holding the Dons to just three hits over six innings.