A five-run third inning was all Santa Ynez needed to defeat Santa Barbara High and knock the Dons out of first place in the Channel League Friday.
The loss drops the Dons into a second place with Dos Pueblos at 10-3, and San Marcos moves into first all alone at 11-2.
That barrage was capped off by a three-run single on a full count by the Pirates’ Caleb Cassidy.
The Dons got hits from Sam Russell, Jack Holland and Eric Elizalde. Elizalde hit a sixth-inning home run. Ty Montgomery drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the first.
Junior Vic Heredia went the distance for the Pirates (5-8), allowing four runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
For Santa Barbara, Luke Wechsler allowed four hits and five runs over five innings, striking out seven. Jack Holland threw one inning out of the bullpen.