CLOSE GAME ENDS IN LOSS

Santa Ana and Fullerton met at Hornet Field on Tuesday to kick off a three-game Orange Empire Conference series and it was the Dons that took game one 9-6. 

Both teams came into the game red-hot with Santa Ana riding an eleven-game win streak, while Fullerton just came off a series-sweep over Orange Coast winning its fourth straight.

With the game tied up 1-1 after the first inning, Santa Ana went on to bring three across on in the top of the second, but the Hornets answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up again 6-6. Diego Vazquez grounded out to second giving Jake Starr the chance to run home from third, and Trevor Schmidt cranked a hard double to right field that scored Jake Larson and Noah Rodriguez.

The Dons broke up the tie in the sixth scoring a run, but FC snuck in a 6-5 lead in the sixth when Diego Vazquez grounded out allowing Hunter Billingsley sprint home, and Jake Starr came across on a passed ball.

Santa Ana tied it up in the seventh and then took a 7-6 lead in the eighth. The Dons proved too much in the end scoring two more runs in the ninth to seal the game.

Up Next: The Hornets (14-12 overall, 4-3 OEC) will back after it with Santa Ana on Thursday, March 27th when they travel to Don Sneddon Field. Game time is at 2:00 pm.