Meza pitches Dons to No. 1 state seed

   If you ask Dons' pitcher Christian Meza, his reservation is made and his bags are packed for Fresno.

   Fresno City College is the site of the CCCAA State Championships, the same place where Meza and the Dons lost to San Joaquin Delta in the State Finals. 

   This season, the Dons are out for redemption. 

   "We're already making plans for state," Meza said. "We are No. 1 in the state and the confidence is there."

   Santa Ana goes into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed for the third time in the past four years and will play host to the Regional and Super Regional playoffs. 

   The 2010 season ended with an 18-3 Orange Empire Conference record, 28-8 overall, the Dons' best finish since 2004. 

   Santa Ana claimed the OEC title for the fourth consecutive year and the sixth time in the past seven seasons. 

   The Dons finished on a hot streak, winning seven straight and nine of their last 10 games. 

   "We got a lot of young guys," Duran said. "It's real important to carry that momentum."

   Duran led the Dons with a .437 batting average, placing him fourth in the conference. His 62 hits were the second highest and his .494 on- base percentage was good for seventh overall. 

   As a team, Santa Ana finished second in the conference with a .340 batting average.

   "We got good team chemistry. One guy will get a hit and it gets contagious," freshman infielder Austin O'Neal said. 

   "I'm never worried when we're behind. Our offense can score a lot," Meza said. "I just hope our bullpen can back me up." 

   Though the Dons rank first in the conference in pitching, the bullpen has had its share of struggles, having blown leads in several games. 

   Meza, last season's conference player of the year, finished 8-1 with a 3.42 earned run average. 

   Santa Ana will depend on Meza's pitching and solid hitting to try and capture the Dons' first state title since the 1996 season. 

   "We just got to play the way we know how," Duran said.