Results

USD vs USF BOX Mar 29

SAN FRANCISCO -- The USD baseball team dropped an 8-4 decision to the USF Dons this afternoon at Benedetti Diamond to open up its 3-game WCC series. The host Dons (17-8, 7-0 WCC) saw RHP Thomas Ponticelli improve his record to 5-0 after striking out nine Toreros and scattering seven hits over 8.0 innings of work.

The Dons scored two runs in the first and added single runs in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings in taking a 5-0 lead against Torero starter Paul Richan through the first six innings. The Toreros (12-14, 3-4 WCC) did get on the scoreboard in the top of the 7th when Jay Schuyler reached on an error and Daniel Gardner followed with a two-run homer to pull within 5-2. The Dons would add a run in the bottom of the 7th off Richan (2-4) who would strike out eight and give up 11 hits on the day.

Doug Nimura would enter in the bottom of the 8th and allow three hits and two runs with USF taking an 8-2 lead. In the top of the ninth the Toreros would tack on two runs with Kevin Collard and Tora Otsuka each providing RBI singles, but with two outs and the bases loaded, Paul Kunst would fly out to deep left field off of reliever Brendan Jenkins.

For USD, Shane McGuire would collect three singles in five at-bats, while Gardner and Collard would contribute two hits each. The USF Dons were paced by leadoff hitter Jonathan Allen who went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and Michael Perri who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Game two is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday with LHP Chris Murphy taking the mound for the Toreros.