BERKELEY, Calif. — Landen Bourassa's return from a year-long injury and rehab process continued Friday on the road across the Bay Bridge, where for the second straight week he posted his longest outing of the year, this time throwing five shutout innings with less than 50 pitches en route to earning his first victory of the year in a 4-1 series-opening win over California at Evans Diamond.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• As Bourassa's return to the mound continues to unfold, his performances also continue to get better and better. He's now thrown 9 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings dating to Feb. 23 at CSU Bakersfield – a start he only went two innings in as part of his load management. Friday, he was on the road at a Pac-12 Conference opponent and he carved up the Golden Bears (3-10), facing just one over the minimum in the second through fifth innings and retiring 13 of the last 15 he faced. He only allowed two hits – both singles – and struck out two.
   
• Bourassa's only trouble spot was in the first inning. A one-out single and a walk put two runners on, and a short dribbler back to the mound moved both them into scoring position with two outs. But it took him only two pitches to get Cal's Nathan Martorella to ground out and end the threat.
   
• While Bourassa got the Dons (7-7) started off right on the mound, Robert Emery got the Dons started at the plate. Emery posted his first career multi-home run game on Friday with two long balls. His first was a two-run shot on the second pitch he saw in the second inning that put the Dons up 2-0. He did it again with a solo shot in the fourth that made it 4-0 after he worked a 3-0 count to get the pitch he wanted.
   
• That was all the offense San Francisco would need with Bourassa, and then Alex Pham, on the mound. Pham earned his first save of the season and seventh of his career with four innings of relief work, only allowing a leadoff solo home run to Martorella in the seventh inning that broke up the shutout. He struck out four and walked none while only allowing two hits.

COACH GIARRATANO QUOTES

• "Good win on a Friday versus a Bay Bridge rival. We had outstanding pitching from Bourassa and Pham."
• "Big hits from Rob Emery who hits his first (home run) of the year for a 2-0 lead, and his second to put us up 4-0. We defended well all night, some solid defense from (Riki) Urata and (Kyle) Knell. We will try and secure a second series win at home tomorrow."

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 0-2: California was just 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position, and both of those opportunities came in the first inning. They were 0 for 10 overall with runners on base.
• 2: Emery's multi-homer game was the first of his career, and the first by a Don since Jonathan Allen did it twice last season, most recently at Pacific on April 20, 2019.

COMING UP

• The series shifts across the bridge to San Francisco and Benedetti Diamond for game two at 2 p.m. Saturday. Riley Ornido takes the mound for San Francisco, having already earned a win in relief this week on Wednesday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.