University of San Francisco Athletics

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Game No. 3
Opponent: Kansas State (0-3)
Location: Benedetti Diamond
Time: 2 p.m.
Video/Audio Stream: USFDons.com/LIVE (Play-by-Play: Max Harris)
 
GAME NOTES – Kansas State
2014 STATISTICS
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SAN FRANCISCO—The Dons return home briefly to begin its home slate of games against Kansas State on Tuesday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond.
 
San Francisco (1-2) is coming off a three-game set at UC Riverside that saw the pitching staff yield 22 runs, including 10 in the season opener on Friday night. The tests get only tougher for the Dons as the face their first opponent with NCAA Regional experience.
 
Kansas State is one of 13 teams the Dons will play that received votes in Baseball America's preseason Top 40 rankings and one of two the team will face this week. They are also one of 10 such opponents the team will meet prior to the start of West Coast Conference play.
 
Grant Goodman is slated to make his first start for the Dons. The freshman right hander was drafted in the 36th round by the San Francisco Giants after finishing with a career 1.54 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 123 innings for Burlingame High School (Burlingame, Calif.).
 
The Dons offense was not an issue the last two days of the short three-game road trip. After being held to two runs on Friday night, the team finished the weekend hitting .291 with 13 runs.
 
OFF TO HOT STARTS
Derek Atkinson and Bradley Zimmer came out of the weekend each hitting a cool .500 (6-for-12). Atkinson also left the weekend with four RBI, including two in the team's lone victory over UC Riverside. Zimmer also collected two doubles during the series.
 
WELCOME TO USF
Nine newcomers, including seven freshmen, made their debuts over the weekend and three made their first career starts. Matt Sinatro and Nico Giarratano headlined the group and started each of the three games at the top of the Dons order. They combined to reach base nine times, score five runs and drive in three.
 
Giarratano reached base five times in his first weekend while starting all three games. He eventually scored four of his five times on base. He was also a valuable piece on defense, converting on 12 of 13 tries in the series.
 
ABOUT KANSAS STATE
Kansas State opened its season ranked No. 18 by the NCBWA and on the road at Cal Poly. The Wildcats were swept in three games behind some strong pitching outings by Cal Poly.
 
But Kansas State had some good outings of its own. Friday's starter Levi MaVorhis went five shutout innings and only surrendered two hits.
 
K-State only managed to score three runs on the weekend but don't expect that trend to continue. This is a team that made the NCAA Regional a year ago and is the defending Big 12 champions.