BERKELEY, Calif. – The Dons got out to a 4-0 lead by the fourth inning, but a five-run bottom of the fourth and a two-run fifth for No. 13 Cal contributed to a 7-5 USF loss on Tuesday night at Evans Diamond.
 
"Another Tuesday where we were commanding the ballgame," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "We did a great job with the running game; offensively we were ready to play. We just gave five back. I'm really proud of the kids. We outhit our opponent again on a Tuesday night.
 
"When you get 12 hits and you score five runs and they have to go to their closer in the eighth inning – and they're No. 13 in the country – you have to pitch better than that, and I just think that's the whole problem. We're going to hopefully figure it out on the mound, and if we can we've got a chance."
 
Dons' starter Scott Parker went 2.2 scoreless innings in his first-career start, allowing two hits while walking three and striking out a pair. Meanwhile, Grant Goodman (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on two hits while walking two and striking out one in his one-third of an inning.
 
Ryan Matranga (3-for-4) and Nico Giarratano (2-for-5, HR) led the Dons offensively, while Allen Smoot (1-for-5) contributed a pair of RBI on the night.
 
USF (8-19) got started early by plating two runs in the top of the first off Cal starter Tanner Dodson as Ross Puskarich and Smoot delivered RBI singles.
 
Smoot helped put the Dons up 3-0 in the top of the third when he sliced a sharp two-hopper that was mishandled by Cal third baseman Mitchell Kranson with one out and runners at the corners, allowing Blake Valley to score.
 
Cal (15-6) threatened in the bottom of the third by loading the bases with two outs before Connor Brewster came on to strike out Kranson on three pitches to escape the jam with USF holding onto their 3-0 lead.
 
Nico Giarratano then added to USF's lead when he tagged the right field foul pole for a solo home run in the top of the fourth, his second long ball of the year.
 
The Bears got on the board in the bottom of the fourth and ended up plating five runs - all with two outs - when Preston Grand Pre poked a two-out, two-run single up the middle and Aaron Knapp ripped a base-clearing triple into the right field corner, putting Cal up 5-4.
 
Then, Brett Cumberland led off the bottom of the fifth with a first-pitch solo home run to right field. He was followed two batters later by Brian Celsi's solo shot to right that gave the Bears a 7-4 advantage.  
 
USF tried to mount a comeback when Matt Sinatro beat out an infield single with two outs in the top of the eighth, scoring Giarratano from third and cutting the Cal lead to 7-5. The Dons had runners at second and third after that, but Valley flew out to center field to end the inning.
 
Jeff Bain (2-1) picked up the win for Cal, throwing three innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits while walking one and striking out four. Erik Martinez earned his seventh save of the year with a scoreless 1.1 innings where he allowed one hit while striking out one.
 
Cumberland (2-for-4, HR), Celsi (2-for-4, HR) and Robbie Tenerowicz (2-for-4, R) each recorded multi-hit games for the Bears, while Knapp (1-for-2) drove in three runs. 
 
WEB GEMS: With one out and a runner at first in the bottom of the first, RF Brady Bate drifted back to make a catch on a fly ball on the warning track and came up to throw a one-hop strike to first base to double up Devin Pearson at first… 2B Aaron Ping made a diving stop in the bottom of the third when moving over to cover second on a hit and run attempt, Ping had to change direction and lay out to snag a ground ball and make the play at first.  
 
NOTES: The Dons scored more than one run in the first inning for the first time this season… USF had a season-high six stolen bases on the night, led by Matt Sinatro's season-high three… the Dons issued a season-high eight walks in the game.   
 
UP NEXT: The Dons travel south for a West Coast Conference series at Pepperdine this weekend. The series opener is slated for Friday at 3 p.m. with RHP Anthony Shew (1-3, 4.94) on the hill for USF. Saturday and Sunday's contests will be at 1 p.m. from Eddy D. Field Stadium.