SAN FRANCISCO — The University of San Francisco baseball team faces its second Pac-12 opponent in as many weekends, playing a four-game home-and-home series versus East Bay foe California starting Thursday.
 
GAME #4-7 INFORMATION
Opponent: California (1-3)
Site: Berkeley, Calif. (Evans Diamond) / San Francisco (Benedetti Diamond)
 
Feb. 25, 2021 – 5 p.m.
Live Stats: bit.ly/2O29IV6
 
Feb. 26, 2021 – 5 p.m.
Live Stats: bit.ly/2ZPoLEA
 
Feb. 27, 2021 – 2 p.m.
Live Video: bit.ly/3bEDuYb
Live Stats: bit.ly/3kk3nAC
 
Feb. 28, 2021 – 1 p.m.
Live Video: bit.ly/3ssmIlY
Live Stats: bit.ly/3bCm3Yr
 
ABOUT THE DONS
 
San Francisco (2-1) made noise on the national stage last weekend when it traveled to Los Angeles and won two out of three games at preseason No. 2 UCLA. USF won Friday's opener, 6-2, then came from behind twice on Sunday to win, 8-3, and clinch the series.
 
The Dons did most of their damage at UCLA against the Bruins' vaunted bullpen. The Dons tagged UCLA relievers for a 6.00 ERA, scoring 10 runs (six earned) and batting .375 in nine relief innings across three games.
 
USF's starting rotation of Landen Bourassa, Eric Reyzelman and Grant Nechak posted a 2.61 ERA last weekend at UCLA. The trio only allowed three earned runs (four total) in 10 1/3 innings.
 
ABOUT CALIFORNIA
The Bears (1-3) dropped three of four in a home-and-home four-game series versus West Coast Conference member Pacific last weekend. All three games were decided by three runs or less, with two decided by one run. Cal won the first game of the series in walk-off fashion, then dropped the next three. In a home-and-home three-game series last year, the Dons took two of three from the Bears, both wins coming in Berkeley, where the first two games of this weekend's series are to be held.
 
Darren Baker leads the team with a .313 average after the first weekend. Dylan Beavers had a team-leading two home runs in the series versus Pacific. Quentin Selma had a team-leading four RBIs. Five pitchers that made appearances for Cal last weekend did not allow a run. Four Cal pitchers posted ERAs over 10.00, pitching less than three innings each.
 
MILESTONE ACCOMPLISHED
San Francisco head coach Nino Giarratano reached another career milestone last weekend thanks to two victories at No. 2 UCLA. Giarratano earned his 600th victory as an NCAA head coach Sunday. He became the 54th active Division I head coach to achieve the mark. He earned the 900th win of his overall career (junior college and NCAA) on Feb. 18, 2020, last season. He is one of only two active WCC head coaches (Rich Hill, San Diego) to have 600 career NCAA wins.
 
BOOMING DEBUT
Jordan Vujovich brought out the big sticks in his debut for the Dons last weekend. The transfer from the University of Oklahoma hit two home runs – the only home runs hit by the Dons all weekend – in three games at No. 2 UCLA. His first home run gave USF some breathing room on Friday, making a one-run game into a 3-1 lead. His second homer cut the Dons' 3-1 deficit on Friday to one run, making 3-2 in the third and helping them come from behind.
 
COMING UP
San Francisco hosts defending Mountain West Conference champion Fresno State in a midweek contest on Tuesday before facing its third Pac-12 Conference foe in as many weekends with a four-game series versus Stanford, starting Thursday. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.