USF to Play Three AT&T Tournament Games at AT&T Park - University of San Francisco Athletics

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THIS WEEK: USF will play three games in the AT&T Tournament, hosted by California at AT&T Park, with the Dons opening the tournament against UC Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 11. San Francisco plays game two against Long Beach State at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 and closes the tournament at 9 a.m. on March 13 against Louisiana-Lafayette.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Dons have a busy stretch coming up, during which time they will play five games in seven days. First up is the sixth annual Dante Benedetti Classic at AT&T Park at 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15 against San Jose State. The next day, USF travels to Cal for a 2:30 p.m. first pitch. Following the game against their Bay Area foe, the Dons travel to Arizona for a three-game series from March 19-21.

LOOKING BACK: San Francisco went 2-2 at the Cardinal Classic, beating host Lamar 3-1 in 11 innings and New Mexico State 12-1. The Dons then lost two heartbreakers: 7-6 to New Mexico State and 3-2 to Cal State Northridge in 10 innings. After returning home, USF beat Sacramento State 3-2.

LIVE RADIO/STATS: Fans can visit http://sports.yahoo.com/top/collegebroadcast/teams/saf to listen to this weekend's games at the AT&T Tournament. Live stats can be watched on Gametracker at http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/cal-m-basebl-sched.html

TICKETS: Fans wishing to attend any of USF's games at the AT&T Tournament can visit http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/events/index.jsp to purchase tickets in advance or can buy them the day of the game at the box office.

SCOUTING THE GAUCHOS: It's been more than two decades since the Dons have faced the Gauchos and it has been four decades (1968) since USF has claimed a win against UCSB. The Gauchos have seven players, who have registered at least 23 at bats that are hitting. 300 or better. UCSB returns eight starters from a team that finished six games below .500 last season. Both teams have played Sacramento State this season with the Gauchos winning 4-2 and 10-9 and losing 3-2. The Dons beat the Hornets 3-2 in their most recent outing.

LAST TIME VS. UC SANTA BARBARA: This is the 11^th game the two programs have played, with the Gauchos having swept a three-game series against the Dons in 1989 by scores of 3-1, 10-3 and 8-3.

SCOUTING THE DIRTBAGS: This is a season of change for Long Beach State with a new coach in Troy Buckley and roster that includes five junior college transfers and 17 freshmen. The Dirtbags have just three seniors on the team this season. Long Beach State enters the AT&T Tournament in the midst of a three-game winning streak , including two wins against No. 15 Oregon. The Dons are slated to face junior right-handed pitcher Branden Pinder, who is 0-2 in three starts with a 7.11 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched. Freshman Ino Patron and senior Matt Hibbert pace the offense with .324 and .304 batting averages, respectively.

LAST TIME VS. LONG BEACH STATE: The last time these two teams played was in 1967, with the Dons winning 3-2.

SCOUTING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS: Louisiana-Lafayette is coming off a 2010 season in which it went 38-22, won the Sun Belt Conference championship and played in the NCAA Austin Regional. The Ragin' Cajuns return five starters and nine of their 13 pitchers from last season, but did have to replace their starting catcher, first baseman and No. 1 pitcher. Louisiana-Lafayette has just one player hitting .300 or better. USF will face senior left-handed pitcher T.J. Geith, who is 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched.

LAST TIME VS. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE: This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

HOME RUNS FOR HEALTH: Junior Ted LeMasters hit the Dons' first home run of the season against New Mexico State at the Cardinal Classic in Beaumont, Texas. That means it's time to start donating to USF's Home Runs for Health Campaign! Junior pitcher/outfielder Bob Mott and teammates Cameron Love, Nik Balog and Jared Denham dreamed up a fundraising campaign for the Nothing But Nets Foundation, which raises money to buy malaria nets for families in Africa. For each home run USF hits this season, the Dons plan to donate a malaria net to the Nothing But Nets Foundation. Each net costs $10. To donate, please visit nothingbutnets.net and search for the USF team page.

DANTE BENEDETTI CLASSIC: San Francisco will hold the sixth annual Dante Benedetti Classic at AT&T Park on Tuesday, March 15th against San Jose State. The first pitch is set for 12:20 p.m. with the Saint Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral game set to follow at 3:30 p.m. USF is 4-1 in Benedetti Classic games. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at the game.

WALK THIS WAY: The Dons lead the West Coast Conference in walks, having totaled 44 free passes this season. A total of 12 different players have drawn walks with Pete Lavin leading the way (10) and Connor Bernatz and Stephen Yarrow drawing nine and eight, respectively.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE: The Dons claimed their first extra inning win of the season on March 3 against Lamar at the Cardinal Classic in Beaumont, Texas. Junior Nik Balog's RBI single in the ninth sent the game into extra innings. Connor Bernatz scored in the top of the 11^th after Mason Morioka reached on a fielding error and then Balog doubled to right center to score an insurance run. The Dons played in just three extra inning games last season and have already played in two in 2011.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: San Francisco has committed just five errors in 12 games this season and leads the West Coast Conference with a .989 fielding percentage. Starting infielders Nik Balog, Jason Mahood, Adam Clear and Stephen Yarrow have yet to commit an error.

KEEPING UP HIS APPEARANCES: Senior left-handed pitcher Garrett Luippold's trip to the mound in Monday's game against Sacramento State moved him into second place in all-time appearances in USF baseball program history. He needs just five more appearances to become the all-time leader.

TOPPING THE CHARTS: Senior Pete Lavin leads the West Coast Conference in walks (10), stolen bases (9) and is tied for first in hits (19). His .422 batting average is second in the league, while Adam Clear is No. 10 with a .340 batting average. Senior Matt Hiserman is third in the conference in strikeouts (18), while classmate Matt Lujan is second in strikeouts looking (9).

CUTTING IT CLOSE: Six of the Dons' 12 games this season have been decided by two or fewer runs. USF's biggest loss this season came by only four runs.

START YOUR ENGINES: Senior left-hander Matt Lujan started his 42^nd career game against New Mexico State on March 4 to make him second-all time in career starts. Five more starts will move him to the top of the list.

MOVIN' ON UP: Senior third baseman Stephen Yarrow cracked USF's top 10 all-time RBI list after collecting three RBIs in the Dons' 8-4 win against UC Davis. He has totaled 109 thus far in his career and needs just 15 more to move into the top five all-time.

RECORD-SETTING SKIPPER: Head coach Nino Giarratano is just nine wins away from collecting his 350^th victory at USF. Another 13 West Coast Conference wins would give Giarratano the seventh most league wins in WCC history.

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