SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Reaching double-digit runs for the fourth time this season, the University of San Francisco baseball team (14-9), dropped a narrow 12-10 decision to Minnesota (9-10) Saturday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Minnesota scored the opening run for the second consecutive game, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an Ike Mezzenga RBI single to left field.
- San Francisco bounced back in the bottom of the opening frame, scoring two runs to take a 2-1 lead. With two runners on the basepath, Michael Campagna sliced a single to left field, scoring Kody Watanabe. Patrick Keighran scored later on a TJ Rogers fielder's choice.
- The Golden Gophers answered in the following inning, tying the game at two on a Kyle Bork RBI single through the middle of the infield, scoring Josh Fitzgerald.
- After Minnesota grabbed its first lead in the top of the fourth, 3-2, San Francisco responded with three unanswered runs to push ahead, 5-3.
- Back-to-back base hits from Watanabe and JT Amaral led off the bottom of the fourth, and Watanabe quickly stole third to put runners on the corners. A Keighran hit by a pitch loaded the bases, and a Campagna sacrifice fly to right field scored Watanabe to tie the game at three.
- Matty Fung followed with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt down the third base line to push Amaral home to give the Dons a 4-3 advantage, and Rogers added an RBI single later on to pad the lead.
- After the Golden Gophers tied the game at five in the top half of the sixth, the Dons answered the call and scored three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take an 8-5 lead.
- With the bases loaded after two walks and a single to open the inning, Rogers recorded his third hit, an RBI single through the right side, with Keighran scoring the Dons' sixth run.
- Mattie Thomas, pinch-hitting for AJ Guiliana, recorded an infield single, scoring Fung and Campagna to expand the advantage.
- With the Dons leading 9-6 after both programs traded runs in the seventh inning, Minnesota took control in the top half of the eighth, scoring six runs to take a 12-9 lead.
- San Francisco cut the deficit to two in the final inning, but the Gophers closed out the 12-10 victory with a strikeout.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- Rogers led San Francisco offensively, going three-for-five at the plate and totaling three RBI. His three-hit performance marks the fourth time he has posted three knocks in a game this season.
- Campagna and Fung recorded two hits apiece and combined for four RBI.
- Scoring a season-high four runs, Watanabe reached base five times, totaling one hit, two walks, and two hit by pitch.
POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:
UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns to action at noon on Sunday, Mar. 24, when it takes on Minnesota in the series finale at Benedetti Diamond.
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MERCHANDISE:
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SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge our department sponsor –
ABM - 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.
