Another Hawaiian evening, another dominant outing from a starting pitcher and another 3-1 win in 11 innings as the Dons continue a hot start to the season. USF is now 5-1 on the year as they have taken the first two games of the four-game trip in nearly identical fashion.
 
A night after Grant Goodman took the mound a delivered a beauty of a game, Thomas Ponticelli went out and dominated. The sophomore hurler went eight spectacular innings striking out eight and not allowing a run on just four hits.
 
"Ponty was great tonight," head coach Nino Giarratano said. "He had command of three pitches on both sides of the plate. We're disappointed he doesn't get a win; pitching eight innings he deserved that opportunity. But it's about the team and getting the result, but you would like to see a guy get rewarded."
 
When Ponticelli left the game the Dons were holding on to a 1-0 lead thanks to a solo blast (the first of the year for the Dons) from Nico Giarratano in the sixth inning. This would be the first of two big swings of the bat for the senior shortstop - he would also spark the 11^th inning rally with a double as well.
 
"That home run really lifted us," Giarratano said. "He got a pitch up and got it out to left field and not many balls leave the park to left here."
 
Hawaii (1-4, 0-0 Big West) was able to once again tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. It took a magnificent effort from Benji Post (1-0) to even see the game into extra innings. With the bases loaded and one out, Post was able to induce a double play ball from Johnny Weeks to force extra frames.
 
After a quiet tenth inning, Giarratano lead off the 11^th with a double. Ross Puskarich would then reach on an error and with runners at the corners it was the Dons leading RBI man on the year, Allen Smoot, who stepped up to the plate. Smoot smacked a single to left center field scoring Giarratano and giving him seven runs batted in on the season. Michael Perri would put a ball in play and score another run on a fielder's choice to give the Dons a familiar 3-1 lead.

After two strong innings, Giarratano decided to let Post go out for a third inning and a chance to lock down the win. Post would do just that as he would finish with two strikeouts in three innings pitched in which he only allowed one hit.
 
In this game, Puskarich went 1-for-5 which extended his hitting streak to 23 games dating back to last year. He is leading the team with a .409 batting average this season.
 
"He (Puskarich) is so balanced that he can handle more than one pitch," Giarratano said. "We moved him up to the three hole versus the lefty and he had great at bats. He's really found his balance and his confidence at the plate."
 
After two exciting wins and a 5-1 start for the season, it would be easy to get carried away in the hot start. Giarratano, however, is making sure the team continues to feel the good vibes but keeps its eyes focused on the tasks ahead.
 
"The guys believe right now," he said. "But they also feel like we haven't even peaked yet. We have got a lot of things we need to straighten out. We have got to pitch better late in games, score runners in scoring position, and we need to improve our defense."
 
The Dons will look to make those improvements and continue their winning ways with game three of four against the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday at 3 p.m. PST. The Dons will wrap up their trip to Hawaii on Sunday before returning home to Benedetti Diamond on Tuesday to take on Utah Valley State at 1 p.m. You can purchase tickets to see the next home game by clicking here.