Santa Ana in Three Crucial Games

Santa Ana will be involved in three games this week that will affect the Orange Empire Conference baseball race.

Santa Ana (28-9, 12-7) and Saddleback (26-9, 12-7) are tied for second a game behind Riverside. The teams play at 2 p.m. today at Santa Ana.

The Dons’ Heath Bell (3-4) and the Gauchos’ Ryan Poe (10-1) are the likely starters. Saddleback has won two of the three games between the teams this season.

Santa Ana also hosts Golden West on Thursday; the Dons have lost two of three games to the Rustlers.

The Dons will play Riverside (27-9, 13-6) at noon Saturday in Riverside. The Dons have beaten the Tigers three times this season.

The Dons will be without Greg Young, a freshman left-hander, who missed his turn last week because of mononucleosis. There is no set timetable for his return.

Right fielder Michael Vinto (.349, five home runs, 22 runs batted in) is sidelined because of a broken hand and might not return until the playoffs, which start May 8.