Santa Ana Holds Off Saddleback, 7-6

Santa Ana jumped out to an early lead and held off a late Saddleback rally to post a 7-6 victory in a Orange Empire Conference baseball game Thursday at Saddleback.

The conference-leading Dons (24-4, 14-2) scored three times in the top of the first inning and eventually built a 7-1 lead behind the hitting of Tony Alcantar and Anthony Gonzalez, who finished with two RBIs each, and the strong pitching of Joe Rodgers.

Rodgers (8-1) began to falter in the seventh, giving up a leadoff homer to Chad Concolino and consecutive singles to Zach Dobek and Jeff LaRue. Dale Thayer replaced Rodgers and got the final out of the inning to keep it 7-2.

Thayer retired the first two Saddleback batters in the eighth, but two walks and an error led to four unearned runs, highlighted by Dobek’s three-run homer--his seventh of the season--to draw Saddleback to within 7-6.

“No lead is big enough in this conference,” Santa Ana Coach Don Sneddon said.

LaRue singled following Dobek’s home run, but Thayer induced Jon Stephens to fly out to end the inning, and closed out the Gauchos in the ninth to record his sixth save of the season.

“Thayer’s been nails for us all season,” Sneddon said. “He had one bad pitch, and Saddleback [took advantage].”

Gaucho starter Reid Santos (4-2) went five innings, giving up all seven Santa Ana runs, six earned, while striking out five and walking four. He also hit four batters.

LaRue had three hits and Concolino scored three runs for the Gauchos (20-9, 9-7).