May 10, 2013
Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of San Diego baseball team pounded out 14 hits en route to a 15-3 thumping of the University of Portland Friday evening in a West Coast Conference game at Fowler Park.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 29-21 overall, move to 13-9 in the WCC and remain in contention for one of the two remaining spots in the upcoming WCC Tournament. With the loss, the Pilots fall to 17-30 overall and 8-11 in the WCC.
Offensively for the Toreros, Connor Joe led the way, as he fell just a triple short of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a single, a double, a home run and four RBI. Kris Bryant also had a productive day, as he went 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored.
PJ Conlon (9-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Toreros, as he allowed three runs, one earned, on seven hits in 8.0 innings of work. Conlon became the first USD freshman pitcher to record a 9-0 record in program history, and he is the first Torero pitcher to open up 9-0 since Josh Romanski did it in the 2008 season. Portland's Billy Sahlinger (3-3) was saddled with the loss for the Pilots, as he allowed six ruins, five earned, on seven hits in 1.2 innings of work.
The Pilots got on the scoreboard first, as they took advantage of a USD fielding error and scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning. The Portland run came when Jeff Melby reached on a fielding error, which also allowed Kramer Scott, who had doubled, to score giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Toreros then responded in the bottom of the second inning, as they scored six runs on six hits. Joe got things rolling as he doubled off the left field wall. Joe then moved to third on a wild pitch, and Louie Lechich grounded out to the shortstop, which drove in Joe for the first run. Andrew Daniel then singled up the middle, and Logan Davis singled to right field, moving Daniel to second. Dillon Checkal then singled in Daniel, and moved Davis to third. A double steal plated Davis and moved Checkal to second. Kris Bryant then hit his 26th home run of the season, a 2-run shot to left field to score the fourth and fifth runs of the inning. Back-to-back errors on the Pilots then allowed Austin Bailey and Austin Green to safely reach base with two outs, and Joe drove in Bailey with an RBI single up the middle to give USD a 6-1 advantage.
The Pilots then scored one run in the fifth and eighth innings to cap their scoring for the day, while USD scored three runs in the sixth and a big six-run seventh, highlighted by a Joe three-run homer, to put the game at its final of 15-3.
The Toreros and Pilots will return to action on Saturday with a 6 p.m. WCC game at Fowler Park.
