#6: DEREK JOHNSON, Relief Pitcher, plays right-handed. 6', 175 lbs., a native of El Cerrito, CA and a transfer from UCLA. 2-3, 6.39 ERA, 25.1 IP, 13 App, 20 K's.
In the sixth inning, USF improved on a 2-1 lead with successive singles by Taichi Takanabe, Taclas, and Watkins. An RBI ground out by Rochlin led to three runs en route to the 5-2 victory. Takanabe, the third-string shortstop who was in the starting lineup due to injuries to Ricardo Banuelos and Derek Johnson, played well for the Dons with two hits, a run, a stolen base, and errorless fielding.
Jess Taclas led off with a single, advancing on a Clark sacrifice and stealing third on his own. McDaniels, Hardt, and Fegan then drew back-to-back-to-back walks to score Taclas, and San Jose State was out of answers. Derek Johnson, who struck out five in his 4.2 innings of work, set the Spartans down in the bottom of the twelfth to earn the 7-6 win, his first of his collegiate career. The USF winning streak began on February 27, as visiting Cal State Los Angeles opened the game with a three-run first, only to give up five in the bottom of the inning. Hardt and third baseman Steve Berringer picked up RBIs that inning, while Fegan and second baseman Phil Franks (in his first NCAA at-bat) drew bases-loaded walks, part of five free passes given out by LA's Doug DeLaGarza that inning (TheFoghorn).
