Brandon RowleyThe Santa Ana Dons suffered a devastating loss against the Saddleback Bobcats on Thursday afternoon, in a 13-5 blowout.
The game started well within reach for the Dons as they trailed 2-1 to the Bobcats, but it quickly got away from them when the third inning started. Saddleback scored nine runs in the inning, putting them up 11-1.
“We made a couple of mistakes in the third. If we could have limited it to maybe four or five runs, that would have kept us in the game,” said assistant coach Dennis Gerbasi.
Aiden Marquez was able to cut the lead in the fifth inning, making it 11-2. “When they get going, we just have to find something we can do to stop it,” said Marquez. “On defense, make a play or something.”
In the eighth inning, Dons’ Ken Tomitaka hit his first home run of the year to cut the lead to 13-4.
“I mean, obviously, to hit a homer is great, but what’s important to me is winning,” said Tomitaka. “Just look at our record, two losses, 16 wins, I feel like we know we’re good.”
This matchup was the second of a three-game series against Saddleback, with Santa Ana taking the first game on Tuesday.
“Just because it didn’t go our way today doesn’t really mean we need to change something,” said Marquez. “We just need to go into Saturday with a lot of confidence, and do whatever it takes to win the game.”
Santa Ana’s next home game will be against Orange Coast College on Thursday at 2 p.m.
“So the improvement is just staying focused the best way you can, and finding a way to stop the bleeding,” said Coach Gerbasi.
