MORAGA, Calif. – Ryan Matranga came up the hero with a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth that brought home two USF runs and propelled the Dons to a 5-4 win over Hawai'i on Saturday afternoon at Louis Giusto Field for the Dons' first victory of the season.
 
"When they brought in a new pitcher, he was having a tough time throwing strikes, so I was just going to make sure he put one over the plate before I was aggressive," said Matranga, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. "It was a long at bat and I was seeing it well, so it was just a matter of time before he put one over the plate that I could take advantage of."
 
USF (1-7) came into the ninth trailing 4-2 when Riley Helland picked up a one-out pinch-hit single that spurred the comeback. Dan James came up and laced a single to left, followed by Beau Bozett's infield single that loaded the bases. Pinch-hitter Brady Bate then drew a walk to cut the Hawai'i lead to 4-3 before Matranga dug in with the bases loaded and one out to deliver the walk-off blow with a line shot into left field on a three-and-two count.
 
Up to that point, Hawai'i starter Kyle Von Ruden had confounded the USF hitters by only allowing one baserunner between the second and eighth innings. Von Ruden started the ninth looking for the complete game, but was replaced after James' single put runners on first and second with one out. His day ended with 8.1 innings pitched where he allowed four runs (2 earned) on seven hits while striking out two.
 
Casey Ryan (0-1) came on in relief for the Rainbow Warriors and ended up taking the loss, allowing one hit with one walk without recording an out while being on the hook for the eventual winning run. Lawrence Chew was the Hawai'i pitcher who gave up the game-winning hit to Matranga.
 
"We did some things better today," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "Pitching-wise, we held our own a little bit. There were times where we could have given up runs and we pitched much better. We were really good off the bench, with three key at bats off the bench to really help us.
 
"I think today we were close enough at the end of the game to actually put some good at bats together. It was competitive today. For the first time all year we played a little more relaxed. It's exciting for the kids. They've worked so hard to this point and we haven't had much success, but hopefully this gets us started."
 
For USF, Scott Parker (1-1) picked up the win in relief, throwing one inning where he allowed one hit.
 
Dominic Miroglio (2-for-3) also registered a multi-hit game for the Dons.  
 
Hawai'i (3-5) put up a pair of runs in the top of the first against USF starter Chase Gardner with an RBI single by Eric Ramirez and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alan Baldwin. 
 
The Dons didn't waste much time in equalizing the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the second when Matt Sinatro laid down a safety squeeze that scored Bozett before Blake Valley stroked an RBI single through the right side with two outs.
 
Hawai'i answered the next half inning with RBI double from Alex Fitchett that glanced off Sinatro's glove as he pursued the shot into the left center gap. The same inning, the Rainbow Warriors moved ahead 4-2 with an RBI groundout by Alan Baldwin.
 
Gardner went 3.2 innings in his second start of the year, allowing four runs (3 earned) on six hits, while walking three and recording one strikeout.
 
Ramirez (2-for-4, RBI, R) and Kekai Rios (2-for-4) helped pace the Hawai'i offense, while Baldwin contributed a pair of RBI on the day.
 
 
WEB GEMS: SS Nico Giarratano made a full extension leaping snag on a line drive by Alex Fitchett with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the fourth to prevent multiple runs from scoring and Hawai'i from breaking the game open when UH was already up 4-2… with one out and a runner on third in the top of the ninth, CF Matt Sinatro made a catch on a fly ball and came up and gunned out Matt LoCoco trying to tag on one hop at the plate, keeping the score within two.    
 
NOTES: This weekend's games are being played at Louis Guisto Field due to ongoing construction of USF's new ballpark… SS Nico Giarratano had his six-game hitting streak snapped by going 0-for-4 on the day... Ross Puskarich was given his first start at 2B this season… Blake Valley started in LF for the first time this year… this was the first game that Harrison Bruce didn't start in the leadoff spot – Valley filled that role today… Hawai'i has had a runner on base in every inning of this series so far… DH Dominic Miroglio collided with UH second baseman Josh Rojas after getting thrown out at second trying to stretch a single down the left field line in the bottom of the sixth – Miroglio was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the ninth by Bruce.  
 
UP NEXT: The Dons and Rainbow Warriors conclude the three-game series with a 1 pm. tilt on Sunday from Louis Guisto Field. RHP Grant Goodman (0-1) will take the hill for the Dons.