SANTA ANA COLLEGE UPDATE: Baseball team starts off with 3-1 record

Griffin Selby waits for a pitch for Santa Ana College last week. (Photo courtesy Santa Ana College sports information)

The Santa Ana College baseball team finished its opening series of the 2021 season with a victory, defeating Golden West Rustlers 2-1 on a walk-off hit from Griffin Selby to improve its overall record to 3-1.

Golden West College won Friday’s game 13-3 in game one of Friday’s doubleheader, which was technically a non-conference game.

In game one, Golden West jumped on top with three runs in the first inning. After holding SAC scoreless in the bottom of the first they added another three in the second and then pushed the game out of reach with seven more in the two following innings. The game was called due to the time after four innings of play. 

Santa Ana got back on track in the second game as sophomore Dane Baker threw seven innings just one earned run in his first start of the year. The right hander out of Corona posted a career high 12 strikeouts to set Chase Hennessy up for a chance to win. Hennessey picked up where Baker left off, fanning one over two scoreless innings of work to earn the win. 

In the ninth inning, the Dons took advantage of a GWC pitching change, putting pressure on the reliever by getting the first two batters on base. Nick Lopez was hit by a pitch and advanced on a bloop single from Cedrick Perez. Both runners moved up a bag on a wild pitch, setting the table for someone to bring them in. 

Selby got his chance and made the most of it as he recorded his fifth hit of the series with the walk-off single. 

The Dons are back in action this week with another four game series, this  time against Fullerton College.

SOFTBALL TEAM STARTS OUT WITH 4-0 RECORD

The Santa Ana College softball team completed a four-game sweep of the Golden West Rustlers, capping it off with 9-0, 16-4 wins in Friday’s doubleheader. 

Following an impressive start in Wednesday’s opener, the Dons continued to stay sharp as they shut out the Rustlers 9-0 in five innings in game one of the day. Emily Rosas was dominant in her first start of the season, throwing five scoreless innings and striking out six. The sophomore gave up just two hits in her return to the mound. 

Santa Ana’s bats were hot from the start, scoring five runs in the top of the first. After a lead-off triple by Andrea Uriarte the Dons put the pressure on as Airlin Ramirez and Jordan Westerfield drew walks to load the bases. SAC cashed in on the opportunity with singles from Ramirez and Macias followed by a double from Cecelia Sanchez to make it 5-0.

The Dons cruised the rest of the way, scoring four more runs to win after five innings of play. 

Game two had a similar outcome as the Santa Ana offense posted big numbers, rallying for 16 runs on 16 hits, ending the series in another five inning game. Aspen Kyles earned her second win of the year with three innings of work, striking out one and giving up two earned runs. Rosas came in to relieve, recording a couple more scoreless innings. 

Source: Santa Ana College sports information