Dons Softball Holds on to Upset No. 5 SCC

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Santa Ana Softball team held on to upset the No. 5 Santiago Canyon Hawks by a score of 6-4 in Wednesday's Orange Empire Conference match-up.

Priscilla De La Torre led the Dons to the win once again, as she earned her fifth win of the season by going six and two third innings with three strikeouts and two earned runs. De La Torre worked her way through multiple jams against a tough Hawks lineup to improve to 5-1 this season.

Santa Ana's offense got off to a quick start by scoring a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly from Jeana Gonzalez that brought in Karlee Rivera. Gonzalez drove in another run in the third inning with an RBI single to score Tianna Patrick to give the Dons a 2-0 lead.

The Hawks responded in the next inning with one run to make it a 2-1 game but left three runners out dry, as De La Torre and the Dons escaped with the lead intact.  

In the fourth, Santa Ana struck again with two crucial runs to gain control again. With the bases loaded and two outs, Tiana Patrick came up big with a two RBI single to put SAC up 4-1.

The Dons seemed to be in position to cruise to the win after scoring another two runs in the top of the seventh, but Santiago refused to go away as they scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning and threatened with bases loaded and the tying run on second base. After being relieved early in the inning and then re-entering, De La Torre finished what she started by getting the strikeout to end the game.

Santa Ana improves to 9-6 overall and 3-1 in OEC play with the win, while Santiago Canyon drops to 13-3, 3-2 with the loss. The Dons will return home for another conference game on Thursday against No. 9 Riverside City at 3:00 p.m.

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