In a matchup between two of the top teams in the Orange Empire Conference the Riverside City Tigers were outclassed by the Dons of Santa Ana by a final score of 11-1 at Evans Field.
Both teams came into Thursday’s game with unblemished 3-0 records in the conference and looking to make the statement that they were the team to beat this year in the Orange Empire Conference. Santa Ana entered play ranked number one in the state in men’s baseball and were also looking to extend on a six game winning streak. RCC came into the game on a tear of their own that had seen them win four straight games, scoring 43 runs in the process.
Santa Ana right fielder Gary Apelian started the scoring off for the Dons with an RBI double in the top of the fourth inning. The floodgates opened from there as the Dons would go on to score seven unanswered runs before RCC was finally able to stop the bleeding in the bottom of the sixth inning when Tigers catcher Billy Nottingham was able to safely cross the plate on a fielder’s choice. Unfortunately for RCC, it would turn out to be their only score of the game.
Santa Ana would tack on three more runs in the seventh and eighth innings, including an inside the park home run by designated hitter Taylor Richardson. to make the victory even more impressive. The win moved Santa Ana manager Don Sneddon to within one win of his 1,000th career victory.
Ben Burke (3-1) collected the win for Santa Ana, scattering 110 pitches in just over 6 innings of work. Jordan Mejia, who fell to 1-1 on the season, was able to last just 3.2 innings before giving way to relief pitcher Mike Mudron.
After the game a visibly frustrated RCC manager Dennis Rogers commented that his team was “overmatched today” before bringing the squad back on the field for a team meeting.
Even with the loss RCC remains just a game behind Santa Ana in the conference standings with two games remaining against the Dons to avenge this crushing defeat and try to maintain pace in the race for the Orange Empire Conference crown.
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