The Dons opened conference play on a sunny Friday afternoon as they hosted LMU. The Lions (10-8, 1-0 WCC) walked away from the day victorious, 6-5, primarily on the strength of one inning.

"Conference is a tough place to play," head coach Nino Giarratano said. "You know each other so well that you play with a lot of emotion. I'm proud of the guys for battling back, there was no doubt in my mind that we were going to come back and make it a game."
  Grant Goodman (2-1) got the start for USF and was staked to an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second inning Brady Bate hit the first of his two doubles and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Villaroman. Matt Sinatro then stepped up and singled home Bate.

LMU would do major damage in the top of the third inning, though. Phil Caulfield would start the inning by getting hit by a pitch. A walk and a single would then load the bases. Steven Chavez would single one home for the Lions. Next was Brandon Shearer who lofted a ball into right field which narrowly made it over the yellow line high on the right-field fence for a grand slam giving LMU a 5-1 lead.

What really hurt about that situation is that in the bottom of the first the Dons (10-8, 0-1 WCC) had a chance to do big damage with the bases loaded, too, but got nothing from it. After a walk and a pair of singles the bases were loaded with one away for the slugging catcher, Dominic Miroglio. LMU starter Blake Redman (2-3) was able to wriggle out of the jam unscathed when he struck out Miroglio and got Manny Ramirez Jr. to pop out.

"We needed to score there," Giarratano said. "We needed to score to take the momentum and we just couldn't do it."

USF would not go quietly, though, as they would tack a pair of runs on in the bottom of the fourth. Ramirez lead off the inning with a walk and that was followed by a single from Michael Perri. Then Bate hit his second double, scoring Ramirez. Villaroman then hit a sac fly to center to score Perri and bring the Dons within two.

LMU would tack on its final run of the game in the sixth inning. Goodman started the inning on the mound and Benji Post finished allowing only one of Goodman's two runners on base to score. That inning closed the book on Goodman with a line of six earned runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. Post would ultimately pitch the rest of the game and finish with 3.2 scoreless innings in which he struck out four.  

"We tip our hat to Goody (Grant Goodman) for getting into the sixth after giving up five in the third," Giarratano said. "He just lost it for six hitters. Walks and hit by a pitch, the same mistakes we have made all year. We get a lead and we don't attack."

Just as it seemed the Lions were going to coast to an easy win, the Dons started making some noise. Sinatro walked and then Allen Smoot (3-for-5) singled. Miroglio then drilled a line drive to left field which got passed the diving Jimmy Hill and ended up a 2-run triple, bringing USF within one.

Another rally wouldn't manifest itself until there were already two away in the bottom of the ninth. The two-out rally began with a pair of singles, one from Smoot and one from Ross Puskarich (3-for-5). Then when Miroglio walked it was Ramirez up with the bases loaded and two away for the second time in the game. This time ended much like the first – with a popup – only this one ended the game.

The Diamond Dons will get right back to work tomorrow at 3 p.m. as Daniel Slominski (1-1, 4.15 ERA) will take on Brenton Arriaga (2-0, 1.75 ERA). You can purchase a ticket to tomorrow's game by clicking here.

Then, on Sunday, the Dons will send Sam Granoff (1-2, 5.59 ERA) to the mound to face Cory Abbott (2-1, 5.64 ERA) at 1 p.m. You can buy a ticket to the series finale by clicking here.