Lamorinda bragging rights up for grabs this week as Dons seek to rebound from sweep by Clayton Valley.

Carrying similar records into this week, the Dons face a familiar foe in Moraga on Tuesday and then host the Cougars at home on Thursday.

Like walking through a park and sensing that you stepped in something you definitely did not want to, the Dons could not avoid a mess as they rolled into Clayton on Thursday hoping to win a hard-fought game. Instead of matching the Eagles as they had two days prior in a 1-0 pitching duel, the Dons had as many errors as hits (four), and gave up big innings in both the second and fourth innings en route to a 7-4 loss. The Dons got a couple of runs in the fourth on some gracious wildness by the Eagles pitcher and drew blood again in the top of the sixth once they were down 7-2. A double by catcher Jasper Stewart and singles by Nico Roig and Josh Lee got the Dons close, but they left the bases loaded, as they had in the fourth, and didn’t threaten in the seventh.

Gavin Beers made his tenth appearance of the year for the Dons, starting and going three and a third innings before Coach Burleigh relieved him with Brady Wall. Beers looked like a different hurler in the first and third innings when he kept the Eagles scoreless, but troubles added up in the second and fourth innings.

As they head over to the ballpark in Moraga that will someday be confused by archeologists as a convex green transplanted from Pinehurst No. 2, where fans peering into left field can only see the thighs and above of the left fielder, they have the duo of A.J. Hastings and Reid Martin rested and available to meet a team that sports a 2-5 league record and also has played .500 baseball this spring. The Dons now are 3-5 in league after last weeks’ sweep.

They then return to what they hope will be a large turnout for their final home game on Thursday, where it will be 2-for-1 admission for all Acalanes students. (Or free, if they walk in from either the right or left field lines.) Come support and cheer for the bright future of Dons baseball.

(Editor’s note: All references to the Clayton Valley U#*% Eagles have been removed because in good sportsmanship we never say or write anything negative about an opponent. Wait, they want to be called that?)