SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Fighting back late to send their team home happy for the second day in a row, the USF Dons baseball team (16-23, 7-14) earned a 7-6 walk-off victory on Sunday afternoon as they took the weekend series from the Saint Mary's Gaels (18-21, 11-10) at Benedetti Diamond.
USF's offense was carried by a pair of strong offensive performance as
Patrick Keighran connected on a pair of two-run home runs for his first career multi-homer game. While
Harris Williams III came through in the bottom of the ninth with his first career walk-off home run to send the Dons' fans home happy.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- USF was able to grab the early lead on Sunday afternoon as Mario DeMera doubled to right center field before coming around to score on Michael Campagna's first triple of the season to put the Dons ahead 1-0 early.
- The visiting Gaels would then put together a response of their own by scoring three runs in the top of third to build their lead to 3-1.
- Clawing back to get within one run in the next half inning, Williams III led off the inning with a bunt single, stole second and then came around to score on a double play to make it 3-2 Gaels.
- Saint Mary's would then score the next three runs of the game by plating two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth as they were held off the scoreboard the rest of the afternoon.
- In the USF half of the sixth, Christian Stapleton drove a double to dead center field and then came around on Keighran's big fly to left center field to make it 6-4 Gaels with six innings in the books.
- Chasing a pair of runs late, Tyler Martinez came up big with a lead off double before Keighran would come through once more with his second home run of the game to left that evened the score at six apiece.
- Coming through with the game-winning hit, Williams III drove a 1-2 changeup over the yellow line in right field to give USF the series victory behind the 7-6 walk-off victory on Sunday.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- Williams III came through big for his team in the series finale as he went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored, a stolen base and his seventh home run of the season to push him in a tie for the team lead.
- Keighran was able to step up big for his team against the Gaels as he went 2-for-4 with his pair of two run home runs as he now has four round trippers for the season.
- DeMera had a big afternoon hitting in the two hole as he reached base four times going 3-for-3 with a walk against Saint Mary's on Sunday.
- Excelling for the Dons on the mound was the combined efforts of Max Jones, Matt McConnell, Will Hearn and Weston Lombard as they threw 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball allowing four hits and striking out three Gael hitters to keep their team in the game before the offense rallied.
POST GAME WITH THE DONS:
UP NEXT:
USF will now head back out on the road starting on Tuesday, May 2 as they will be in Reno to take on the Nevada Wolfpack (17-25, 7-13) at 2:00 p.m. from Don Weir Field. Live streaming and live statistics for the contest are available via the
team's schedule page.
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the USF baseball program, be sure to follow @SFDonsBaseball on Twitter, @USFDonsBaseball on Instagram and @University.of.San.Francisco.Baseball on Facebook.
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Rep USF today by visiting the all-new USF Dons online store at
www.usfdons.com/shop.
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge our department sponsor – BSN Sports - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact
Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.
