Pirates jump out early, hang on for 6-3 win over Dons

SANTA ANA -- The Orange Coast College baseball team used a strong start to pull away from the host Santa Ana Dons en route to a 6-3 win at Don Sneddon Field on Thursday.

With the win, the Pirates (19-8, 7-5) now hold sole possession of second place in the Orange Empire Conference, three games behind first-place Fullerton, who rallied with three runs in the ninth for an 8-7 win over Irvine Valley. With the loss, the Dons (18-8, 5-7) fall into a tie for sixth place in the OEC with Golden West, while three teams -- Cypress, Saddleback and Riverside -- all are tied for third.

After a scoreless two innings for both teams, the Pirates found the scoreboard in the top of the third. Greg Espinosa (3-for-3, two runs), picked up a two-out single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Zach Nehrir followed with a walk before Ricky Navarro came through with an RBI-single to center, scoring Espinosa and sending Nehrir to third.

Coast made it 2-0 when a second passed ball allowed Nehrir to score.

In the top of the fourth, Austin Saenz singled and Danny Jimenez walked to open the frame. Cristian Salina moved over both runners with a sacrifice bunt before Cody Bruder cashed in both runners with a two-run triple to left-center, making it 4-0.

Santa Ana trimmed into the lead at 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth, but the Pirates got the run right back in the top of the sixth when Salina ripped a 3-1 fastball deep over the left-field wall for his first home run of the season, putting Coast ahead 5-1.

Coast starter Kyle Dowdy pitched five strong innings for Coast to get the win and improve to 4-1 for the year. He allowed one run on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He wiggled out of a couple of multi-hit innings for the Dons and was able to minimize the damage to keep the Pirates in front.

The Dons chipped into the lead with single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to make it 5-3. Santa Ana loaded the bases in the eighth and had their hottest hitter up in J.B. Bryant, who entered the at-bat with 15 hits in his last 20 at-bats. However, reliever David Wilson coaxed the standout Don into a harmless grounder to second, ending the threat.

Coast picked up some insurance in the top of the ninth when Espinosa walked, stole second, went to third on a throwing error and scored on a passed ball to make it 6-3.

Wilson calmly retired the Dons in the bottom of the ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

The Dons and Pirates wrap up their season series on Saturday at OCC's Wendell Pickens Field on Saturday, beginning at 12 p.m.