Box Score

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The University of San Diego baseball team scored five runs in a ninth-inning rally, but it wasn't enough, as the University of San Francisco held on to claim a 9-6 win Friday evening in a West Coast Conference game at Fowler Park.

With the loss, the Toreros fall to 22-14 overall, move to 12-4 in the WCC and are now in a two-way tie for first place in the WCC standings with USF. With the win, the Dons improve to 20-19 overall and 12-4 in the WCC.

With the Toreros trailing 9-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Toreros put on their rally caps and went to work. With one out, Ben Wyllly got things started with a single to right field, and Bryson Brigman then hit an infield single, which moved Wylly to second, and Wylly then went to third on a throwing error by USF. Back-to-back RBI singles by Hunter Mercado-Hood and Kyle Holder then drove in the next two runs. Then back-to-back two-out singles by Jerod Smith and Riley Adams kept things rolling. A wild pitch and a Ryan Kirby walk loaded the bases with two outs, and brought the tying run to the plate. But USD could not manage to push across any more runs, leaving the game at its final of 9-6.

The Dons took advantage of a USD fielding error in the top of the second inning to score three unearned runs. The USF runs came with two outs, and a pop fly hit to right centerfield. USD then dropped the ball on a transfer from glove to hand, which allowed two runners to cross the plate for the first two unearned runs. A Connor Hofman run-scoring double to left field then capped the scoring for the inning with USF leading 3-0.

The Dons then added two more runs in the top of the fourth, eighth and ninth innings, while USD scored one in the bottom of the eighth to round off all the scoring for the day.

Offensively for the Toreros, Jenner led the way, as he went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while both Holder and Brigman each went 3-for-5, with Holder driving in a run.

David Hill (7-3) was saddled with the loss on the mound for the Toreros, as he allowed five runs, two earned, on six hits in 6.0 innings of work. Anthony Shew (6-3) picked up the win on the mound for the Dons, as he allowed one run on eight hits in 8.0 innings of work. Travis Ulvestad picked up the save, as he allowed no runs on no hits in 0.1 innings of work.

The Toreros will return to action on Saturday, as they continue this three-game WCC series with the Dons. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Fowler Park.