SAN FRANCISCO — Timely bats and impact pitching performances carried the San Francisco baseball team to a doubleheader sweep Saturday and extended its winning streak to four games with two come-from-behind victories, first beating UC Riverside, 8-2, in the opener, then topping Rider University for the second straight day, 5-4, in the nightcap at Benedetti Diamond.
 
SAN FRANCISCO 8, UC RIVERSIDE 2

• San Francisco (9-5) stuck itself to an early 1-0 lead in the opener against the Highlanders (6-8), but it was short-lived when UCR put together a two-out, two-run rally in the next half-inning. A walk, single and RBI double by Jacob Shanks tied the game at 1-1. And a groundball that would have ended the inning was thrown too high to get the out at first, allowing another UC Riverside run to score and giving it a 2-1 advantage.
   
• But San Francisco would score seven unanswered runs through the rest of the game to run away with the final result. It started in the fourth when the Dons reclaimed the lead thanks to Jacob Westerman's RBI single and Tyler Villaroman's safety squeeze bunt to first that made it 3-2. Two more insurance runs in the sixth inning gave USF a bit more breathing room. Villaroman drove in his second run of the game with an RBI single that bounced on the third base foul line and over the bag, and Riley Helland got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 5-2.
   
• Scott Parker's performance on the mound was also crucial in helping the Dons come from behind. Parker had perfect 1-2-3 innings in the first, third and fourth. He only allowed one runner past first base after the second inning while throwing six innings for just the second time in his career. He ended his outing with a strikeout to give him a career-high seven Ks on the day.
   
• Robert Emery sealed the victory in the bottom of the eighth with a bases-clearing double to right-center field that scored three runs and made it 8-2. The Dons ran all over the Highlanders in the opener, stealing five bases (Villaroman had two). They were also patient at the plate, drawing six walks and three other free passes via the hit-by-pitch.

SAN FRANCISCO 5, RIDER 4

• The nightcap provided another comeback opportunity for the Dons, and they cashed it in with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to beat Rider (4-8) for the second straight day.
   
• With USF trailing 4-3 since the top of the fifth, Chase Hodkinson knotted the game up at 4-4 with a sacrifice fly that scored Villaroman. Villaroman most likely would have been called out at the plate thanks to a great throw made by Broncs right fielder Joe Simone, but the ball was knocked loose out of catcher Mike Ionta's glove, allowing Villaroman to score the tying run.
   
• Then in the seventh, the Dons tried twice to score the go-ahead run. They loaded the bases with no outs in a tie game, but Simone threw out Jack Winkler at the plate on the first attempt to take the lead. What would have been a sacrifice fly turned into a double play for the Dons, turning a no-outs, bases-loaded situation into a two-outs, runners-on-first-and-second situation. But without hesitation, Nick Yovetich slapped the first pitch he saw into right-center field, scoring Helland from second and giving USF a 5-4 advantage.
   
• Julian Washburn (4-0) was brilliant out of the bullpen. He entered in the fifth with runners on the corners, no outs and a run already in. His two inherited runners scored, but from there he was flawless. He ended the day with five shutout innings in relief, striking out five and only allowing two hits for his fourth victory in just six appearances.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 10 1/3: Washburn's dazzling performance out of the bullpen extended the Dons' relief core's scoreless streak to 10 1/3 innings. No USF reliever has allowed a run since Tuesday in the top of the ninth versus San Jose State.
• 12: Winkler's season-starting 12-game hitting streak came to an end in game one Saturday. But he reached base multiple times in both games with four total walks and a hit-by-pitch, extending his reached base streak to 14 games.
• 16: The Dons drew 16 walks across the two games Saturday. Six players had multiple walks, including Winkler who led the team with four (three in game one).

COMING UP

• San Francisco concludes the weekend on Sunday afternoon with a 2 p.m. game versus UC Riverside. The Highlanders also face Rider in a neutral-site game at 11 a.m. at Benedetti Diamond. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.