University of San Francisco Athletics

Box Score  
 
SAN FRANCISCO – When you're hot, sometimes you feel like no one can stop you, not even one of the best pitchers in the West Coast Conference. Friday, the University of San Francisco Dons got to Loyola Marymount starter Colin Welmon early in a 10-5 win over the Lions at Benedetti Diamond, extending their win streak to eight, and moving to 22-15 (9-4 WCC) on the season. The Lions fell to 18-19 (7-6 WCC).
 
After Dons starter Abe Bobb surrendered three runs in the top of the first, the Dons wasted no time against Welmon, who entered the game with a 5-2 record and 1.31 ERA. A two-out, two-run double down the right field off the bat of Derek Atkinson brought USF within one, a sign of the tenacity the team has displayed in recent weeks.
 
Loyola Marymount took a 5-2 lead in the fourth before the Dons answered with a pair in the fifth on a two-out, two-run Zachary Turner single that scored Justin Maffei and Ryan Matranga.
 
USF put the game away in the seventh, sending 10 men to the plate in a six-run inning. The Dons loaded the bases on singles by Brendan Hendriks, Josh Miller and Ryan Matranga and tied the game when Maffei was hit by the first pitch he saw, to drive in Hendriks. Jason Mahood singled, Bradley Zimmer doubled, and Turner reached on an error by the first baseman that scored Mahood and Zimmer, who ran through third base coach Troy Nakamura's stop sign for the tenth run of the game.
 
Bobb (2-5) battled through six innings, earning his second win of the season. Haden Hinkle pitched the final three frames for his second save of the season.
 
“We just continue to be resilient, staying with it,” said USF head coach Nino Giarratano. “We had some timely hits today, Turner had a big hit, Bradley had a big hit, Atkinson had a big hit, Mahood had a big hit. Without those, it's a tough game. I thought we could have been better defensively, but the pitching was solid. We'll take the win, but we need to continue to get better, to keep improving.”
 
The Dons and Lions meet again tomorrow at Benedetti Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
Inside the Numbers
 
The Dons have won eight straight, and 11 of 12.
 
Line of the Game
 
Haden Hinkle – 3.0 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk , 5 strikeouts, save