WEDNESDAY
Game #35
USF (10-24, 5-7 WCC) vs. New Mexico (23-9, 12-3 MW)   
Wednesday, Apr. 13 | 3 p.m. 
Benedetti Diamond | San Francisco, Calif. 
Live stats  | Audio/Video: TheW.tv (PBP: Joe Castellano)  

PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday, April 13 | 3 p.m.
USF: RHP Grant Goodman (0-3, 12.54)      UNM: RHP James Harrington (5-1, 6.21)

Complete Game Notes [PDF]

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SAN FRANCISCO – The USF baseball team will finally get to stay home for the first time this season as the Dons (10-24, 5-7 WCC) host New Mexico (23-9, 12-3 MW) in non-conference action on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the first game at the newly renovated Benedetti Diamond.
 
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Grant Goodman (0-3, 12.54) will throw the first pitch at the new ballpark as he takes the mound for the Dons, making his fourth start of the year, while New Mexico will start righty James Harrington (5-1, 6.21).
 
Tuesday's action can be followed via live stats on USFDons.com and a live video stream on TheW.tv with Joe Castellano on the call.   
 
THE STORY SO FAR
USF came out of the weekend 1-2 at Loyola Marymount. Rainy weather prompted a schedule change on Friday, where the Dons split a doubleheader, losing the first game 13-4 before coming back to win the nightcap 4-3.
 
Anthony Shew suffered the loss in game one, lasting a career-low two-thirds of an inning, but Harrison Bruce and Ross Puskarich each tallied two hits for the Dons.
 
In game two, Allen Smoot went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, including the eventual game-winning two-run double in the top of the seventh. Freshman righty Thomas Ponticelli earned his second win of the year with 6.0 innings pitched, allowing just two runs on six hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts.
 
In the series finale on Saturday evening, LMU used a 4-run sixth inning to pull away and hand the Dons a 5-1 loss. Right-hander James Kannenberg was the loser in that contest, while Smoot turned in another strong day at the plate by going 3-for-4 with an RBI.     
 
NOTABLES
• INF Allen Smoot leads the Dons at the plate over the past 10 games, hitting .324 (12-for-37) with three doubles, six RBI and a run scored and has hits in 13 of his last 15 games coming into the week
• LHP Frank Waliczek sports a 1.96 ERA over his last four appearances, allowing just one run over those 4.2 innings pitched
• SS Nico Giarratano has played a stellar shortstop this season, only committing one error on the year in 157 chances. His lone error came in the third game of the season at UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 20. Giarratano also leads the West Coast Conference in defensive assists (106) this year
• As a team, the Dons lead the West Coast Conference in sacrifice bunts (26). OF/IF Matt Sinatro leads the team and ranks fourth in the NCAA in sac bunts (10)
• Matt Sinatro ranks 20th in the NCAA in stolen bases (18) coming into the week
• The Dons are second in the conference n stolen bases (43) heading into the week
• Relievers RHP Mack Meyer and LHP Frank Waliczek are tied for the conference lead in appearances (18)
• The longest hitting streak of the season belongs to OF/DH Blake Valley, who hit in 13 straight games between Feb. 26 and Mar. 16. OF Beau Bozett enjoyed a 13-game on-base streak of his own that stretched from Feb. 20 to Mar. 20
   
ABOUT NEW MEXICO
The Lobos come into the week with a 23-9 overall record and a 12-3 mark in Mountain West play. UNM has won eight of its last nine games after sweeping Fresno State this past weekend at home, winning by scores of 2-1, 14-13 in 12 innings and 7-4. The Lobos will play at Santa Clara on Tuesday night before being the Dons' first opponent in the new Benedetti Diamond.

C/DH Chris Devito (.438, 11 HR, 48) ranks 3^rd in the NCAA in RBI, 7^th in batting average and 8^th in home runs coming into the week.

As a team, UNM is hitting .321 (10^th in the NCAA) with 34 home runs.
 
On the mound, the Lobos enter the week with a 4.87 team ERA while opposing batters are hitting .299 against the UNM staff.    
 
New Mexico is on the fringes of the rankings in some national publications, such as Collegiate Baseball (No. 28), NCBWA (RV) and USA Today (RV).

THE SERIES
The Dons are 3-3 against New Mexico under head coach Nino Giarratano (since 1999). UNM took the most recent meeting by a score of 4-3 on Feb. 28 of last season in Albuquerque.