Huntington Beach, CA - Golden West softball (8-4, 5-2 OEC) held their first home conference game against the Santa Ana Dons (5-13, 1-6 OEC), 8-2. 

After a passing storm, the Rustlers welcomed the Dons to Golden West for their first conference head to head matchup. Golden West entered Tuesday 3-2 in conference after the team swept the Riverside Tigers. Santa Ana suffers a 1-5 record as they were swept by Cypress and lost two of three from Santiago Canyon. 

After a scoreless first, the Rustlers tallied the scoreboard for two runs in the bottom of the second. Sara Aguilar doubled in Desyree Arizmendi for an RBI knock, 1-0. A batter later, Mia Duda singled in Candice DeMayo for the second run of the frame, 2-0. The third was quiet but Golden West exploded for six runs in the fourth. 

With C. DeMayo on first, Aguilar tripled in the teams third run, 3-0. Duda tallied another RBI single and Lillian Smith doubled in two, 6-0. Shelby Jacobsz and Arizmendi both hit in a run to cap the fourth with six total runs, 8-0. The Dons avoided a mercy with a run in the fifth and in the sixth. But the Rustlers prevailed in the seventh to win, 8-2. 

At the top of the lineup, Sofia Herrera was 3-4 with a run scored. Smith got two RBIs from her lone plate appearance. Both Aguilar and Duda went 2-3 with a run scored and two RBIs each. Golden West earned their fifth conference victory and ninth on the season, 8-2. 

UP NEXT: The Rustlers will remain home for their next conference matchup against the Fullerton Hornets on Wednesday, March 20th. First pitch will be at 2:30pm.