SAN FRANCISCO — Tyler Villaroman snapped out of his own funk in the bottom of the eighth Tuesday to help the University of San Francisco baseball team snap out of its funk, as the junior centerfielder drove home the eventual game-winning runs with a two-out, two-run double that sent the Dons to a 3-2 non-conference win over visiting Sacramento State at Benedetti Diamond.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Villaroman was due when he stepped to the plate with two on and two out in the bottom of the eighth, the Dons trailing by one. He had gone 0 for his last 12 before his clutch hit, waiting a week since he last had a base hit. Villaroman had already driven home the Dons' (25-20) only run in the third inning on an RBI groundout, and now he was poised to do more damage.
   
• Sacramento State reliever Tanner Dalton – brand new into the game to face Villaroman – got ahead in the count with a first-pitch called strike. Then on the second pitch, Villaroman went the opposite way to right-center, where Hornets right fielder Aaron Zeidman looked to have a beat on the ball, but he ran into the wall and dropped it on the warning track, allowing Riki Urata and Kyle Knell to score and give the Dons the lead.
   
• The Hornets (27-17) did not go quietly in the top of the ninth. San Francisco closer Joey Steele struck out the first two batters he faced and got ahead of the third, 0-2, but a walk and a single on another 0-2 count put the tying run at second and the go-ahead at first. That allowed Keith Torres to come to the plate, who at that point in the game had already gone 3 for 3 with two doubles and a walk. But Steele struck him out on three pitches, getting him to swing at the last for his ninth save of the year.
   
• The Dons had just four hits on Tuesday, but it was all they needed. Sacramento State starter Travis Adams only faced two over the minimum in five innings of work, striking out one and walking none. The only run he allowed came with no base hits in the third – a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base, and two groundball outs to the right side of the infield gave USF its first run of the game and made it 2-1.
   
• San Francisco had lost opportunities to score more runs in the second and fifth innings when the leadoff batter got on via base hits, as double plays killed both of those potential rallies. The eighth inning rally started again with two leadoff batters reaching safely on free passes. Robert Emery drew a walk and Nick Yovetich was hit by a pitch.
   
• But Emery was erased on an attempted sacrifice bunt when the Hornets got the lead runner, and Yovetich was removed from the base paths trying to steal third. However, Kyle Knell worked a four-pitch walk to keep the inning going, forcing Sacramento State's call to the bullpen and bringing up Villaroman.
   
• Sacramento State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks in part to a USF fielding error. After a dropped infield popup put two runners on with one out, a first-pitch single loaded the bases, and Steven Moretto tallied an RBI with a fielder's choice groundout that put the Hornets ahead 1-0 with an unearned run.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 1-0: Daniel Slominski earned his first decision of 2019, a victory thanks to his perfect 1-2-3 shutout inning of relief in the top of the eighth. Slominski struck out two – his first two strikeouts of the year – in earning the win.
• 3: Villaroman's three RBIs Tuesday tied a career high for him. He also had three RBIs in the season opener last season at UTSA on Feb. 16, 2018.
• 3 2/3: Josh Mollerus threw 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against Sacramento State. He struck out four for the third time in his last four outings and gave up just two hits while lowering his ERA by nearly a run.

COMING UP

• San Francisco's home stand continues this weekend as the Dons host Pepperdine in a pivotal West Coast Conference series starting at 3 p.m. Friday and running through the weekend. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.