SAN DIEGO—San Diego saw exceptional performances on all sides of the ball to take the opening game against San Francisco, 10-3 on Friday night at Fowler Park.
 
The Toreros (16-6, 2-2 WCC) scored seven runs in the third inning to take a comfortable 7-0 lead over the Dons (12-9, 2-2 WCC) and never looked back. The USD pitching staff held USF to just four hits and were backed by solid play in the field with no errors and two double-plays including one to clinch the victory.
 
With runners on second and third in the bottom of the third inning, Tora Otsuka singled through the left side to get the Toreros on the board. Caleb Ricketts then reached on a Dons throwing error and a second run scored before USD loaded the bases with one out.
 
Adam Kerner drew a walk to force in another run for San Diego before Ripken Reyes hit a bases-clearing double to put the Toreros up 6-0. Shane McGuire would add one more before the inning was over with an RBI single through the left side to score Reyes from second.
 
Chris Murphy (3-1, 3.12) got the start for USD, pitching lights out for five innings before the Dons broke through with an RBI single and a two-run home run in the sixth to make it 8-3, Toreros. 
 
Murphy opened the contest by striking out the side in the first, on his way to nine total strikeouts. Murphy faced 17 batters through five innings, giving up two singles and hitting a batter that would be cleared one pitch later on a line-out double play to Ripken Reyes at third. 
 
 The lefthander went six innings for USD, allowing three runs on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts for his third win of the season.
 
The Toreros added an insurance run in the fifth behind an RBI single from Jeff Houghtby and two in the seventh after Houghtby hit a sacrifice flyout to right and Otsuka hit his second RBI single to make it 10-3, San Diego.
 
Travis Kuhn and Cade Brown came out of the bullpen in relief and held the Dons hitless for the final three innings. Kuhn collected two strikeouts and the Toreros retired 9 of 10 batters faced down the stretch to seal the victory.
 
McGuire finished the day 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs and an RBI. Otsuka hit two RBI-singles, adding a run and reached base three other times after being hit by pitches. Reyes went 2-for-5 including his 3-RBI double and added two runs for USD.
 
The Toreros remain at Fowler Park for game two of their weekend series with San Francisco on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT.