THE RUNDOWN
SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco's baseball team swept the Saturday doubleheader against Xavier with an 8-5 win in the first game, and a 1-0 pitcher's duel in the second game.
 
In the first game it was all about sophomore Riley Ornido who went 8.2 innings, striking out a season high 15 batters in that span. USF got off to another strong start, scoring two in the first inning.
 
Xavier brought the lead within one in the fifth inning, becoming the first team to get an earned run on Ornido this season. The Dons quickly answered back in the next inning, when Mike Perri's double brought Jack Winkler in to extend the lead to 3-1.
 
After the seventh inning stretch USF open up its biggest lead of the afternoon. It all started with Jack Winkler getting hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Jonathan Allen came up next and singled, moving Winkler to second base. Riley Helland laid down a sacrifice bunt that the third baseman threw over the head of the first baseman, allowing Winkler to score on the play. Mike Perri kept the rally going, singling to drive in Allen and move Helland to third. Ross Puskarich added the final two runs of the inning, driving in both Helland and Perri to make it 7-1, USF.
 
In the ninth inning, after getting two quick outs Riley Ornido allowed a walk and a single that ultimately ended his afternoon on the mound. Daniel Slominki came on in relief for the sophomore, allowing a single in the next at-bat. Nate Soria came up next and hit a grand slam to bring the Musketeers within three runs, 8-5. After getting the next two batters on before getting the final out.
 
The second game of the doubleheader was a pitching duel. The first inning saw back-to-back hits from Jonathan Allen and Riley Helland, with Helland's double moving Allen to third. Perri came up next and grounded out to the shortstop, which allowed Allen to score on the play giving USF the 1-0 lead.
 
USF's 1-0 would ultimately be the final score, with the duo of Landen Bourassa and Brendan Jenkins keeping a potent Xavier offense scoreless.
 
With this sweep the Dons move to 9-6 on the season.
 
COACHES QUOTES
Head coach Nino Giarratano
 

????| Coach G's thoughts after a doubleheader sweep and series win ????. pic.twitter.com/hJwGvINaFM

— USF Dons Baseball (@SFDonsBaseball) March 11, 2018

 
GAME STATS

• Ornido struck out 15 today, the season high for strikeouts recorded in a game. The team high was recently held by Bourassa (11).
  • His strikeout total is now second on the team at 29 for the season
• Bourassa's seven strikeouts put him at a team leading 30.
• Brendan Jenkins' third save of the season is tops on the team in 2018.
• Perri's three RBIs has it at a team leading 13 on the season, going three-for-four in game one.

 
NEXT UP
USF will welcome East Bay rivals Cal to Benedetti Diamond on Tuesday for a one-game matchup. First pitch will be at 2 p.m.