By Ron Dronkers
Varsity Field - Spring weather finally decided to show itself with a beautiful and warm afternoon as the Dons hosted the Livermore High Cowboys. JR/RHP Jake Dronkers had the starting role and retired the side on fly balls to left, center and right.
The Dons scored first in the bottom of 2. SR/OF Brett Kalepp swung and missed for a strike-out, but hustled to first base on the dropped ball by the catcher. Kalepp then stole second with JR/OF Brendan Jenkins at the plate and scored on SO/INF Bradley Pluschkell's base hit to left field. (0-1 Dons)
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After allowing a lead-off walk and a base hit in the top of 3, Dronkers nailed a strike-out for the first out. With 2 runners aboard, the next batter took a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for a 3-run homer. Dronkers ended the half with another strikeout and a routine grounder. The Dons however, answered back with 3 runs as well to regain the lead.
SO/INF Austin Piscotty led-off with a HBP, and scored on the next at bat on SR/INF Jimmy Doyle's double (3-2 LHS). JR/INF Nick Carney reached base on a grounder to short followed by SR/OF Jonathan Camello's base hit to left scoring Doyle (3-3) and moving Carney to 3rd. Kalepp hit a nice sacrifice fly to left plating Carney before the end of the inning. (3-4 Dons)
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JR/RHP Sam Nathan came in for Dronkers and retired the Cowboys in 3 straight. The Dons scored again in the 4th with JR/OF Mike Echavia reaching on an HBP, stealing 2nd and scoring on Piscotty's reach-on-error by the Cowboy 3rd baseman. (3-5 Dons)
Nathan ended the top of 5 quickly and efficiently with straight strike outs. The Dons added 2 more runs with 2 out in the 5th. Kalepp showed a hard-90 by beating a routine grounder to short for an infield hit, then stole 2nd with JR/OF Chase Hennings at the plate. Hennings blooped a check swing hit into shallow left field for an RBI single (3-6 Dons). Pluschkell executed a nice hit-and-run play with a sharp grounder to left field and Hennings, already in motion, easily reached 3rd. With a wild pitch going to the back stop on Echavia, Hennings scored the Dons 7th run. (3-7 Dons)
The Dons scored another pair of runs in the 6th. SO/INF Connor Caspersen pinching in for Piscotty raked a base hit to center field and scored on Doyle's RBI-double to right; Doyle then advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch. JR/INF Ryan Ibanez coming in for Carney was hit by a pitch. With runners on the corners, Camello hit a 2-0 pitch to deep center field for a sacrifice fly to score Doyle (3-9 Dons). Nathan continued his onslaught keeping the Cowboys off balance and preserving a Don Win totalling 8 strike-outs, 2 hits and 0 runs scored in 4 innings of relief work.
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