Clay ArrittSanta Ana remains undefeated in the playoffs, as they won the first two games against Citrus to advance to the 3C2A Regional Final. Both were close, high-intensity contests where the Dons were able to show their ability to win against tough playoff opponents.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” head coach Tom Nilles said. “At the end of the day, it’s always what the team does, and we didn’t bang, but our pitchers pitched phenomenally.”
Game 1
Game one was tied at six in the bottom of the ninth with the Dons coming up to bat. The inning started with a hit by pitch to designated hitter Barrett Ronson. A sacrifice bunt from catcher Carlos Morales would advance pinch-runner Aidan Haller to second base.
Back-to-back walks, one intentionally to shortstop Jack Mueller, would set up Evan Reiter with the bases loaded with one out and the winning run on third base.
Reliever Julian Hines came into the game for Citrus, and Reiter hit a double play ball to the shortstop, but the throw from second-baseman Nick Velazquez sailed over the head of the first-baseman into the Dons’ dugout, securing a 7-6 walk-off win for Santa Ana.
“That’s just a testament to our group. They always believe, because the offense is good,” Coach Nilles said. “It’s happened all year, so it’s not hard for them to believe that it’s gonna happen again.”
The Dons trailed most of the game, with time dwindling down as they were behind 6-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
This was the inning the Dons would get going, starting with a Ronson two-run homer to cut the deficit to two. Ronson missed the series against Cerro Coso with a quad injury, and returned with a bang against the Owls.
“I try not to do too much, trying to become a spark plug for our offense. I saw a good pitch and luckily hit it out,” Ronson said. “It felt good. I was getting a little antsy on the bench, having to sit out, but plan on getting back out there. Felt really good.”
The Dons would then reach base via a walk and hit by pitch, followed by a run-scoring single from Aiden Marquez. A sacrifice fly from Reiter during the next at-bat would tie the game at six.
Another player returning from injury was Santa Ana’s starting pitcher Josh Rodriguez. Rodriguez had missed the previous two series with a triceps injury, returning to start game one against Citrus.
It was a terrific start to the game for Rodriguez, who retired the first six hitters of the game, adding three strikeouts.
“I felt great, my change-up was working very well,” Rodriguez said. “I couldn’t get my slider to work. But it is what it is. I’m just trying to get that working for next week.”
The Owls would add a run with three straight hits to begin the third, before Rodriguez stranded runners on second and third to get out of a jam. Citrus would take a lead in the fifth, adding two on a home run from Dominic Torrez, who didn’t hit one in over 100 regular season at-bats.
After Rodriguez got into some trouble in the middle innings, he was relieved by sophomore Matthew Solorzano, who would shut down the Owls for the remainder of the game.
“It feels good,” Solorzano said. “I love being a part of this team, and the fact that I can play a key role in keeping us in the games and winning is huge.”
It was Solorzano’s 3.1 scoreless innings of relief that would help keep the Dons in reach, before the offense finally struck to win the game late. Solorzano improves to 6-2 on the season in 55 innings.
Game 2
After an exciting walk-off victory in game one, Andrew Phillips would take the mound for Santa Ana in game two the following day.
Though the game took place at Don Sneddon Field, the Dons would operate as the visiting team in this one.
They would take advantage of getting the first at-bats, as after the first two batters were retired, the Dons would put together a two-out rally.
After a base-hit from Reiter and a walk from Nikko Paoletto, the next hitter would be Ken Tomitaka. Tomitaka would come through with a ground ball right back up the middle, scoring Reiter and getting the Dons out to an early 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third, it would be Tomitaka to drive in two more, this time with a double over the head of Citrus left-fielder Dustin Yela to extend the lead to 3-0.
“I felt pretty good,” Tomitaka said. “I didn’t have any hits yesterday, but I knew the adjustments I had to make, so I felt pretty confident out there today.”
Phillips would be able to hold the lead on the mound, stranding runners on second and third in the first two frames.
“Okay,” Phillips said when asked how he felt on the mound. “I was on short rest this week. I knew it was not gonna be my best, but I was able to work it out.”
The Owls would score two runs in the third inning off of Phillips, but unfortunately for them, those would be the only runs they would score. It was five innings for Phillips, allowing just the two runs to improve to an impressive 7-0 record.
It was another stellar showing for the bullpen, who hasn’t allowed a run in the Dons’ last four playoff games, compiling a 13.2 scoreless inning streak.
“We know we got enough bullets in the bullpen that if we got to lift a guy early, they’ll keep it small,” Coach Nilles explained. “Our offense will come back, and we’ll put up a crooked number at some point.”
Paoletto added to the Dons’ lead in the fifth inning with a solo shot, his fourth home run of the playoffs.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Dons padded their lead to 6-2 thanks to two runs coming in on a ground ball right between the shortstop’s legs off the bat of Mueller.
“Honestly, that at-bat, I was just trying to put a ball in play, help out the team, and get the next guy up,” Mueller said. “We’ve been doing great,” he continued. “We’ve been after it. Pitching has been dialed. They’ve been doing a hell of a job, especially this series.”
Sophomore Bruno Banuelos recorded his fourth save, getting the final five outs. He relieved fellow sophomore Colin Galvin in the eighth and got out of a jam before slamming the door in the ninth.
“It felt good,” Banuelos said. “Especially since it was a four-run lead, but a four-run lead is really nothing right now. So it felt really great to help pick up Galvin, pick up the team, and get the win.”
Santa Ana is 5-0 in the playoffs, and next on their schedule is an Orange Empire Conference rematch against Fullerton in the 3C2A Regional Final, a best-of-three series beginning on Friday at Don Sneddon Field.
Santa Ana outscored Fullerton 43-13 in a three-game sweep back in March, and the winner of this series will advance to the four-team state bracket.
