Baseball wins slugfest for OEC lead

The Saddleback baseball team moved into sole possession of first place in the Orange Empire Conference with a 13-11 win over Santa Ana College on Tuesday in Santa Ana.  The Gauchos and Dons combined for 32 hits in a game that took nearly four hours.

Saddleback entered the game tied for first place and was needing a win to keep pace with the leaders in the OEC.  The Gauchos jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Santa Ana scored four of their own in the bottom half of the inning, sending an early message that they were headed towards a marathon. 

The teams combined to use 13 pitchers, blast out 32 hits and 13 bases-on-balls in a game that didn't finish until 5:45 PM.  Most of the damage was done in the first four innings, which took close to two hours.

Saddleback's Luke Jarvis had the biggest day of anyone, finishing 5-for-5 to up his season average to .381.  Jared Donahoe also reached base five times as the Dons elected to walk him four times to avoid his .391 average.

Despite Saddleback winning 13-11, the Gauchos never trailed in the game.  Santa Ana continuously dug themselves out of holes, tying the game at 11-11 in the bottom of the seventh inning.  The Gauchos finally put the final nail in the coffin in the top of the ninth inning when Andrew Wilson singled to center field with one out, scoring Jerry Carrillo who had come in to pinch run for Donahoe.  Saddleback would score its final run of the game two batters later when Robbie Biehl walked to score Brandon Heinrich…the ninth walk of the game by Santa Ana pitchers.

For Saddleback (20-5, 8-2) it was a third straight win and moved the Gauchos into sole possession of first place in the Orange Empire Conference after Fullerton College lost its third straight game after starting conference play 7-0.  Saddleback will face Santa Ana in game two of the three-game set on Thursday at Doug Fritz Field.  The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM.