Jordy Espinoza
The bats clicked as the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties (8-3) defeated the Santa Ana College Dons (4-5) 13-10 in thursday’s non-conference matchup at Don Sneddon field.
Both teams combined for 23 runs on 27 hits, as the Mounties swept the two game series.
Sophomores Bryan Leef, Raymond Villanueva and the rest of the Dons hammered away in a wild slugfest, rallying against every big inning the Mounties had. But in the end, it was an error filled-ninth inning that doomed the Dons.
Villanueva committed two crucial errors in the ninth inning that led to three of the four runs coming across to score for the Mounties, while the other run came on an RBI triple by freshman center fielder Elijah Greene.
Pitching put Santa Ana in a tough spot on the mound. With the staff allowing a season high of 10 walks. Starting pitcher Michael Arsenault couldn’t escape the fourth inning. He allowed four hits on six runs, three of them earned and three walks.
Gabe Armstrong relieved of Arsenault, but continued the Dons’ struggles. He gave up four hits, allowed three runs and walked five batters. He was pulled in the sixth inning for Cole Hoskins who took the loss after allowing the game to slip away in the ninth inning. He gave up three hits and allowed two runs.
Mounties pitcher Steven Ordorica relieved Charlie Verronen in the seventh inning and never looked back, earning his first win of the season as he struck out three batters while allowing two hits and giving up a run.
Santa Ana hosts another home game this weekend against San Diego Mesa College on Saturday at noon.
