Box Score FULLERTON, Calif. — A solid starting pitching performance, clutch base hits, and a shutdown backend of the bullpen all helped the University of San Francisco baseball team earn a big series-opening victory on the road at perennial power Cal State Fullerton, beating the Titans, 3-1, at Goodwin Field.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Landen Bourassa logged his longest outing since 2018 with four shutout innings to start the Dons (3-6) off strong. He only allowed two hits and no walks with two strikeouts, only facing two over the minimum and retiring eight of the last nine he faced. Alex Pham (2-0) backed Bourassa up with four innings of strong relief, striking out nine and not allowing a run until he got chased in the bottom of the ninth after a leadoff double and a walk.
   
• Cal State Fullerton starter Tanner Bibee (1-2) was just as solid, throwing a complete game with 6 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out nine on the night. The Dons finally got to him in the top of the seventh with a one-out, two-run single by Jacob Munoz. Jack Winkler led off the inning with a single, one of his two hits on the night, and Nick Yovetich was hit by a pitch. Both of them moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, setting up Munoz's go-ahead hit.
   
• Munoz came through again in the ninth inning to give the Dons an insurance run. Already up 2-0, Munoz drove in Winkler again – who had led off the inning again with a single – this time with a clutch two-out hit to make it 3-0.
   
• Pham started the ninth inning, but when Cal State Fullerton brought the tying run to the plate, it was freshman Jesse Barron's turn. Barron would strike out three in a row – two looking – only allowing a run to score from third on a wild pitch, earning his first career save on the road.

COACH GIARRATANO QUOTES

• "Landen was great for the first four innings of the game. Pham came in and was dominate for his four. Barron comes into a tight situation and strikes out the side. Great pitching by both the Cal State Fullerton starter and the Dons."
   
• "Winkler had a good night with two hits and a walk, Munoz battled back in his third and fourth ABs to drive in three big runs. Some really good at bats by the entire team this evening!"
   
• "(Harris) Williams hit two balls hard, Yovetich had great ABs and (Matthew) Mendibles had two line-drive outs. Always good to get a Friday win on the road."

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 0 for 5: This time it was the Dons who frustrated their opponents on offense, holding the Titans to an 0-for-5 clip with runners in scoring position and just a 1-for-14 performance with runners in scoring position.
• 2: Two Dons encapsulated most of the night's offense, with Munoz and Winkler both collecting two base hits, Winkler scoring two runs and Munoz getting two run-scoring knocks.

COMING UP

• Game two of the series is set for 6 p.m. Saturday with Riley Ornido taking the mound for San Francisco. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.