The Dons didn’t know what to think when they suddenly were looking up from a 2-run deficit after just one-half inning Monday afternoon at Ken Souza Field. No one will admit to taking the visitors from Walnut Creek lightly, but they do own a 11-0 loss to Miramonte this season and entered the game 0-3 in their league play. With Austin McManamon and his sparkling ERA starting on the mound, consistent hard-hit balls were not expected.

No worries in the Dons’ dugout though, as they immediately struck back for two of their own thanks to a Jasper Stewart sacrifice fly and an RBI single by catcher Nico Roig. McManamon then got back on the mound and was his usual self, allowing just one more walk and one single before exiting after his planned three innings. Third baseman Jimmy Cusumano made smooth work of grounders induced by his pitcher in the third, getting to his left quickly on one brisk grounder and then charging hard and throwing sidearm to first to nab the runner at first on another.

The Dons took the lead for good in the bottom of the third when Cusumano walked, stole second, and came all the way around to score on a passed ball that spurted up the first base line.

They then broke it wide open with a crooked number in the bottom of the fourth, sending ten batters to the plate and scoring five runs. The bases once again were like a merry-go-round in the bottom of the sixth as the Dons scored six more times to finish the scoring. Somehow, not unexpectedly, David Roux was the magnet in the middle of each scoring splurge, being hit by pitch two more times. On the afternoon, eight Dons batters had hits and nine scored in the game. The Dons broke out the track spikes on the bases, swiping 9 bags, led by Cusumano with 3, and Cody Michlitsch and David Roux with two apiece. Batting clean up, DH Jasper Stewart hit the ball on the screws in each of his plate appearances, leading the team with three RBIs.

The dual relievers Brendan Miles and Brady Wall went two shutout innings apiece to finish out the game, Miles scattering a couple of hits and a couple of walks, and getting his best friend in the fifth, a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Wall, getting his first work of the year, had excellent command of his pitches, throwing two no-hit innings to put a bow on it, bringing the Dons record to 5-4.

The JV Nine head to Pinole for a Tuesday afternoon game and then are at Miramonte on Thursday.