Devon Rodriguez Sets Home Run Records with Walk-off Home Run against Golden West
The Dons used a seven-run sixth inning to run-rule Golden West College 10-1 in the final game of the season.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
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1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 0 |
SANTA ANA - Devon Rodriguez accomplished three things with one swing of the bat: she broke her tie with Sabrina Perez for the single season home run record, she broke her tie with Sabrina Perez for the career home run record and she ended the Dons game against Golden West College.
With Rodriguez's three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dons (26-14, 12-9) completed the sweep of Golden West College (10-23, 5-16) with a 10-1 victory in the final game of the regular season. The Dons win, coupled with Saddleback College's loss to Santiago Canyon College earlier in the day, gives the Dons sole possession of fourth place in the Orange Empire Conference.
Prior to the sixth inning, the Dons built a 3-1 lead with one run in the first and two runs in the second. Alexandra Perkins accounted for all three runs as she scored the first run of the game on a RBI-double by Danielle Hernandez in the first inning before driving in Vanessa Moreno in the second when she reached on an error. Eryn Martinez, who has singled earlier in the inning, also scored on the play to put the Dons on top 3-0 at the time.
Golden West put a run on the board in the third inning when Linzy Harkins hit a leadoff double before eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Ciera Henson. The Rustlers threatened to score more runs in three innings, but Rodriguez pitched her way out of each jam with help behind her by her defense.
The Dons broke the game open in the sixth inning started with a leadoff walk issued to Vanessa Moreno. Becky Poirier fought a pitch off for a base hit to left before Genna Main later drew a one-out walk.
Perkins then reached on an error, scoring Natalie Valdez who pitch-ran for Moreno, before Hernandez hit a bases-clearing double. Sabrina Perez followed with a single to left field, setting up Rodriguez' three-run home run.
Rodriguez (13-4) also picked up the win on the mound as she held Golden West to one run on five hits over six innings. Sarah Craig (1-5) took the loss for Golden West as she allowed three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings of work.
