May 16, 2009 - Boxscore
Dons Advance to Final Day after 7-4 Win at Palomar

SAN MARCOS, CA - The Santa Ana College baseball team upset #1 Palomar College 7-4 to advance to the final day of the Super Regional Playoffs. The Dons will face Palomar College again after it defeated Long Beach City College to qualify for the final day of the Super Regionals. The Dons need one win to advance to the State Finals while Palomar needs to win the morning game to force a second, and deciding game.

Palomar jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Alfonso Casillas led the second inning off by getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on an error when Brenden Webb laid down a sacrifice error.

Matt Hubbard drew a walk to load the bases before B.K. Santy struck out for the first out. Terrence Buchanan came through for Palomar with a single to centerfield scoring Casillas. Webb attempted to score from second but was thrown out at home plate by Jake Eccles.

The Dons came back in the fourth inning as Chris Miller hit a lead-off double down the left field line. Miller advanced to third on an error in the next at bat when Eccles laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt, both runners were safe on the play.

Kyle Hardman put the Dons up 3-1 with one swing of the bat as he hit a three-run home run to centerfield. TJ Yasuhara continued the inning with a one out single and later scored on a Matt Hart single to put SAC up 4-1.

Miller extended the Dons lead to 6-1 in the fifth inning when he hit a two-run home run scoring James Davis who led the inning of with a walk.

Palomar answered in the bottom of the fifth when Santy led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. After moving to third on a ground out, Santy scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 6-2.

The Comets continued a run at a comeback in the seventh inning. Buchanan sparked the rally with a one-out infield single and later stole second. Buchanan advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a balk.

Tyler Smith reached base when he was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on the wild pitch and balk that scored Buchanan. Smith later scored when Tyler Saladino hit a RBI-double down the right field line to cut the lead to 6-4.

Derek Eligio added the Dons seventh run in the top of the ninth inning with a solo home run before Nick Perez got a strike out and induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and give the Dons a 7-4 victory.

Christian Meza improved to 11-1 in his first start since the last game of the season. Meza pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing four runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

Perez pitched the final 2 2/3 innings allowing two hits with three strikeouts without allowing a run. Sam Jew suffered the loss as he allowed six runs, four earned, on nine hits with five strikeouts in six innings.

NEXT: Santa Ana vs Palomar, Sunday, May 17 at 12:00 p.m. at Palomar