Irvine Valley's baseball team lost to Santa Ana, 3-2, on Thursday at home and dropped the first three-game Orange Empire Conference series of the season.
Santa Ana won both games that were played at Irvine Valley, winning last Saturday and Thursday.
IVC had tied the series up with an 8-7 win in 10 innings at Santa Ana on Tuesday.
Santa Ana pushed across a run in the top of the ninth and had Andrew Hodges close the game out to improve its record to 14-2 overall and 2-1 in conference.
Irvine Valley's record went to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in conference.
The Lasers scored both of their runs in the top of the second inning. Sophomore catcher Branden Williams led off with a single to right and freshman designated hitter Adam Rossit was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.
Freshman third baseman Tyler Wagner sacrificed the runners to second and third.
With two outs, Williams scored on a wild pitch and then sophomore second baseman Kyle Golden singled up the middle to bring in Rossit and give IVC a 2-0 lead.
Santa Ana got a run back in the top of the third on a RBI double to left field by Patrick Cromwell. It scored Colin Winn, who had reached on a fielder's choice.
The Dons tied the game in the top of the seventh. Andrew Ramos walked to lead off and Trevor Steinman singled to put runners on first and third.
Justin Mellano grounded into a double play, but Ramos scored on the play.
IVC had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Santa Ana reliever Zachary McKay was able to get out of the jam with a pop up and a fly out.
The Dons scored the winning run in the top of the ninth on an IVC throwing error, a walk and then another error when the Lasers threw away a sacrifice bunt attempt by Mellano.
The Dons nearly scored another run, but Irvine Valley freshman right fielder Weston Ellis threw out a Don runner at home trying to tag up.
Ellis was hit by a pitch by Hodges with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Santa Ana righty struck out the next batter to end the game. Hodges earned his fifth save.
Both starting pitchers threw well.
Dalton Rasmussen went 7.0 innings and gave up two runs on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts. He took a no decision. McKay picked up the win in relief.
IVC sophomore Kyle Goodbrand went 8.0 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and three strikeouts. His record fell to 3-4.
Irvine Valley managed just three hits on the day on offense, getting one each from sophomore center fielder Dillon Millar, Williams and Golden.
For Santa Ana, Steinman was 2 for 2 with a walk and Colin Winn went 2 for 5.
Irvine Valley hosts Saddleback on Saturday at noon in the first game of a three-game set.
