Box Score

SAN DIEGO -- The 23rd-ranked USD Toreros earned an 8-4 victory over the USF Dons tonight at Fowler Park. The win improves USD's season record to 18-6 overall and 7-1 in the WCC standings. Junior RHP Jonathan Teaney came in in relief of starter Chris Murphy and pitched 3.1 innings to earn his first victory of the season. Colton Waltner and Jay Schuyler each went 3-for-5 at the plate to key the offensive attack.

The Toreros jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Jeff Houghtby opened the game with a walk and eventually scored from second base when Roman Garcia reached base on an error from the Dons third baseman. USF took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 3rd with Nico Giarratano collecting an RBI double, and then scored on an error by the Toreros. USD knotted the score in the bottom of the third when Colton Waltner singled to center and was moved over to third on a single from Riley Adams. Waltner would then score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2.

The sixth inning was the key inning of the game. USF loaded the bases with two outs, but Teaney got Allen Smoot to ground out to second base to end the threat. The Toreros opened the bottom of the inning with Roman Garcia just missing a home run to left that was just foul. He would follow with a single that would be followed by a single from Schuyler. Jordan Abushahla came up in a pinch hitting role and delivered an RBI single to left that scored Garcia. USD would add three more runs in taking a 6-2 lead. Schuyler would add a single in the 7th and eventually score to make it 7-2.

USF's Allen Smoot would add a 2-run single in the 8th to pull the Dons to within 7-4, but Hunter Mercado-Hood would hit his 6th home run of the season in the bottom of the 8th for the 4-run cushion. Troy Conyers closed out the game in the 9th inning as he gave up just one hit while striking out two. These two teams return to Fowler Park on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. contest.