SAN FRANCISCO – The Dons scored four runs in the third inning and six runs in the sixth to help supplement Thomas Ponticelli's six innings of shutout work as USF earned a 12-2 win over Portland on Friday afternoon from Benedetti Diamond.
 
Dominic Miroglio led the way by going 4-for-5 with an RBI double in the third while scoring two runs. Michael Perri clubbed his third home run of the year and joined Allen Smoot and Matt Sinatro in collecting two hits while driving in a pair. Brady Bate ripped a two-out bases loaded pinch-hit triple in the sixth and Nico Giarratano went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
 
"I thought we put together some really good at-bats early in the game and didn't score, so I felt like we were going to break through," head coach Nino Giarratano said. "It kind of gets contagious. They start having some fun and start believing they can have those types of rallies. Hopefully we're relaxing and settling in a little bit."
 
Ponticelli (1-1) looked strong for his second straight outing by limiting the Pilots to just three hits over his six complete innings where he didn't walk a batter and struck out four. Only one Pilot runner even got into scoring position against Ponticelli.
 
"Anytime you can go out and put up five straight innings of zeros and give our team a chance to score it makes it a lot easier on us," Giarratano said. "[Ponticelli] kind of missed his execution a little bit today, but his velocity was good enough to get outs. He probably could have stayed in for the seventh and maybe the eighth, but the score dictated that we didn't need to keep him in there."
 
Nico Giarratano doubled in the bottom of the third to spark a rally where six of the next seven USF hitters collected hits against Portland starter Grady Miller (1-6). Smoot followed Giarratano with a one-out RBI double to center and came around to score when the next batter, Ross Puskarich, stroked an RBI single to left field. Miroglio then doubled in a run and Manny Ramirez, Jr. plated Miroglio with a single up the middle that gave USF (18-17, 5-9 WCC) a 4-0 advantage.
 
Perri led off the fifth with his solo homer to left before the Dons came back in the sixth and effectively put the game away.
 
Leadoff hitter Harrison Bruce was plunked by a pitch to start the inning and promptly stole second before Sinatro drove him home with a base hit. A Smoot RBI single and a fielder's choice by Perri each plated runs. Bate then stepped up with the bases full and crushed the 2-2 pitch off the base of the left center wall to clear the bases.
 
Sinatro drove in the final USF run with a soft line drive to center in the eighth that scored Bate.
 
The only damage Portland (7-27-1, 3-11 WCC) inflicted came in the top of the seventh when USF reliever Riley Ornido issued a walk to start the inning before Cody Hawken connected for a two-run home run.
 
Right-hander Joey Steele picked up his first save of the year by working three flawless innings out of the bullpen, striking out five of the nine batters he faced. Steele came on in relief in the seventh after Ornido failed to get an out and quickly retired the next three Portland hitters he faced.  
 
"I thought those were three great innings by Joey," Giarratano added. "I thought he threw the breaking ball extremely well and he was aggressive with the fastball. That's exactly what we needed."
 
USF and Portland conclude the series on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. from Benedetti Diamond. Right-hander Daniel Slominski (2-3, 3.38) will matchup against Portland righty Kevin Baker (2-4, 3.76) as the Dons look for their first sweep of the year.