Santa Ana Squanders Chances, Loses, 7-2

Santa Ana College, looking to continue its string of giant-killings, squandered an early opportunity to seize momentum and lost, 7-2, to top-seeded Merced in the first round of the community college state softball tournament Friday at Buchanan Softball Complex.

The Dons (29-15) defeated second-seeded Fullerton in the regional tournament last weekend to advance here. But the Dons, who play West Valley today at noon, are now one game from elimination.

Wendi Kralich and Natalie Castro each reached base with two out in the first inning, but Kralich was caught trying to advance when a pitch got away from the catcher, ending the threat.

The Dons had runners at first and second with one out in the second, but a pop out to shortstop and a groundout to second ended that threat.

Merced then scored twice in the bottom of the second, once in the third and three times in the fourth to gain control.

“We had some opportunities,” Santa Ana Coach Kim Nutter said. “We could have gotten the momentum, but we didn’t execute early.”

Nutter said if her team could have taken an early lead, it could have sent Merced (41-6) into panic mode.

“For us it’s just another tournament game,” Nutter said. “But if we get the momentum, it shifts all the pressure to them.”

Merced pitcher Jamie Harkins settled down after the first two innings, allowing just two hits over the next four innings, but Santa Ana refused to go away.

Trailing, 7-0, the Dons loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh. Yesinia Paniagua and Kralich followed with run-scoring singles and the Dons still had the bases loaded with no outs.

But Castro, the cleanup hitter, grounded into a third-to-catcher-to-first double play. Weisner followed with a pop out to first that ended the game.

“We did a great job of coming back,” Nutter said. “If our No. 4 hitter doesn’t double up, it could have been 7-4 with no outs and who knows?”