Irvine Valley's baseball team suffered its third straight loss in Orange Empire Conference play, falling to Santa Ana, 9-5, at home on Saturday.
The Lasers' record dropped to 6-11 overall and 2-3 in conference, while Santa Ana improved to 12-6 overall and 3-2 in conference.
Santa Ana jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the third inning. The Dons put three runs on the board in the top of the second and then a single run in the top of the third.
Cody Bistline drove in two of the runs in the second with a double.
Irvine Valley answered back in the bottom of the fifth. The Lasers scored all their runs in the frame.
Freshman second baseman Nathan Cervantes drove in the first run with a single. Sophomore Dallas Porter later hit a sacrifice fly to score Cervantes.
Then with the bases loaded sophomore designated hitter Andrew De La Riva was hit by a pitch to bring in a run.
And with two outs and two strikes, freshman third baseman Adam Vargas gave IVC a 5-4 lead with a two-run single to right field off Santa Ana relief pitcher George Avina.
Santa Ana came back with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead for good at 6-5, and then added three runs in the top of the eighth.
Troy Baird knocked in what turned out to be the winning run in the seventh with a single through the left side of the infield.
Philip Anderson had a two-run double in the eighth for the Dons.
James Roll earned the win in relief for Santa Ana. He pitched 2 2/3 innings and didn't allow a run. He gave up four hits and had one strikeout. His record went to 1-0.
A.J. Franks closed out the game with 1 1/3 scoreless innings for Santa Ana.
IVC sophomore pitcher Jesus Meza took the loss. His record dropped to 0-4.
Meza gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits and five walks with six strikeouts.
Irvine Valley was led at the plate by freshman center fielder Brett Hamilton, who was 2 for 5 with a run scored and freshman catcher Pedro Gonzalez, who was 2 for 3 with a run. Vargas went 1 for 4 with two RBI.
Irvine Valley finished with 10 hits. Santa Ana had nine hits in the game.
Baird was 2 for 5 with two RBI, Bistline went 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBI and Anderson was 1 for 3 with three RBI for Santa Ana.
Irvine Valley plays again next Tuesday at Riverside at 2 p.m. It is the first of three straight road games for the Lasers.
