The Dons got back to their winning ways on Tuesday afternoon as they took down Utah Valley 4-1. With this game being squeezed between two four-game series, head coach
Nino Giarratano called upon six different pitchers to help carry the load. More importantly, each pitcher was as effective as the one before.
"I think the story of the day today was how we pitched," Giarratano said after the game. "We faced 30 batters in the game and they get 27 chances so we only faced three over the minimum thanks to Dom (Miroglio) and really thanks to the pitching. We threw strikes out of the bullpen; we got ahead of hitters and commanded the breaking balls."
The help coach mentioned from Miroglio was an incredible sight to see as his arm was loaded and ready to go. Miroglio ended the first inning by back-picking a runner at second base and for an encore he picked off a runner at first in the sixth inning. Sandwiched between those two throws was another perfectly placed ball as he caught a Wolverine (1-6, 0-0 WA) stealing in the fourth inning.
"It was a good day for him today," Giarratano said. "He is a real asset on both sides of the ball, but defensively he really showed it today."
Utah Valley would get on the board early with an unearned run in the top of the third inning. The run came off of
Brendan Jenkins, who in seven innings as a Don has yet to allow an earned run.
USF (6-3, 0-0 WCC) would come back to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth, and it was all started by
Brady Bate. Bate (who went 2-for-4 on the day) would single to left field and promptly steal second (one of his two steals on the day).
Aaron Ping would then lace a rocket off the left field wall to tie the game.
The game would not remain tied for long as the Dons would come right back in the bottom of the sixth and take the lead.
Nico Giarratano would slice a double into left-center and
Allen Smoot would then single up the middle setting up
Ross Puskarich. In one fell swoop, Puskarich extended his hitting streak to 26 games, drove in Giarratano and ultimately gave the Dons a lead they would not relinquish.
The very next inning, USF would tack on two more runs, and all with two outs.
Matt Sinatro would pinch hit for
Harrison Bruce and work a walk.
Tyler Villaroman would get hit by a pitch followed by a Giarratano walk and it was Smoot who dealt the decisiveb low with a 2-run single up the middle. That knock would take Smoot to a team-high nine RBI on the season.
Joey Carney would end up closing the game out with a scoreless inning in which he struck out two. In doing so, he helped
Grant Young get the win, the first of his collegiate career.
The six Dons who combined for the nine innings without allowing an earned run were
Benji Post (2 ip), Jenkins (2 ip), Young (2 ip),
Joey Steele (1 ip),
Scott Parker (1 ip) and Carney (1 ip).
The Dons also continued to show their speed today with three stolen bases. They received two from Bate (making him 4-for-4 on the year) and one from freshman
Tyler Villaroman who is now 5-for-5 on the season. Villaroman got the start in centerfield and batted lead-off, too, and went 1-for-3, reached base twice, stole a base and scored a run.
Next up for the Dons is a flight to Conway, South Carolina where they will participate in a tournament hosted by reigning NCAA Champion Coastal Carolina. The Dons will play the Chanticleers twice as well as Albany and Winthrop.
USF will then return home on March 15
th at 3 p.m. as they host Fresno St. You can buy tickets to that game by
clicking here.
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