The De Anza Dons defeated the Ca�ada Colts 2-1 lastThursday for their third straight victory in a week, keeping hopealive for the last spot in the State Regional Playoffs.
The week began on April 26 with a home game against the MissionSaints. The Dons won the contest 11-7. Pitcher Anthony Baca threwfour strong innings in relief and got the win. Left fielder RyanLangone had a stalwart defensive performance with a couple ofclutch catches, and right fielder Casey Costa notched the go-aheadRBI, scoring infielder Nick Stetkevich on a sacrifice fly toright-center field.
The Dons second task in their week-long gauntlet came on April 30on the road against the top team in the Coast Conference, theCollege of San Mateo. In two previous meetings, San Mateo hadoutscored the Dons 27-6.
The third meeting would be different. Dons pitcher Brian Siepearned the victory and center fielder Jefferson Bradshaw knocked inthree runs to propel the Dons to a 10-4 romp.
“My guys played hard and they are proving that we belong in theplayoffs,” Dons head coach Scott Hertler said.
The last tilt of the three-game stretch came one day after the SanMateo victory when the Dons hosted Ca�ada. With the Coltsnipping at the heels of the Dons, this contest was a do-or-diehappening for both clubs. Dons right-handed chucker Nick Pereirawould be the X-factor in this contest.
Through four innings, neither team could touch the other’spitching.
Ca�ada drew first blood in the fifth on a sacrifice fly byoutfielder Clay Alarcon. The Dons responded in the bottom of theseventh when first baseman Pat Burgess sailed a ball over thecenterfield fence, knotting the ball game at one run apiece.
“I’m glad I could respond when my team needed me the most,” Burgesssaid.
After Burgess’ home run, the game was up in the air. In what seemedto be a baffling outburst, Colts assistant coach Steve Hoff arguedthe last out of the top of the eighth inning. His verbal assault ofthe home plate umpire cost him an ejection, and when he could notstop his four-letter word protest, the field umpire warned him thatany more tomfoolery would earn an ejection for somebody else on theColts club.
Hoff continued and Colt’s first base coach Tony Gomes waschucked.  The tossing of the two Colts strategists deflatedtheir ball club and ignited the Dons dugout. 
The Dons rode that momentum and staged an eighth inning march tovictory. With two outs and men on first and second, shortstop JonBustamonte hit a routine grounder to the Colts shortstop, whopromptly threw the ball over his first baseman’s head, allowing thegame-winning run.
“It was ugly but it did the job,” Bustamonte said.
Pinch runner Ray Montez scored on the play, and the Dons took aone-run lead into the ninth. Pereira took the mound with intentionsof seizing a complete-game win. 
After two base hits to open the top of the ninth, the Colts appliedthe pressure. Two batters later, a bunt loaded the bases with onlyone out.  Pereira then struck out the next two batters to earnthe victory and complete the sweep of the week’s three games.
“Nick played his butt off today,” Hertler said. “He didn’t have hisbest stuff, but he found ways to get the win. He played great.”
Every time it seemed as if Pereira would give in, he found a way toget his team out of the jam. A day after closing out the San Mateogame, Pereira responded with his best outing of the season. He washappy with his performance but gave his teammates the credit.
“My defense came up big, and I couldn’t have done it without them,”Pereira said.

DeAnza starting pitcher Nick Periera throws a complete-game duringthe Dons’ 2-1 victory over Ca�ada College last Thursday atDe Anza to extend their winning streak to three games.