University of San Francisco Athletics

Follow the Diamond Dons: FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
 
Games No. 9-11
Opponent: Sacramento State (5-4, 0-0 WAC)
Dates: Feb. 28 (2 p.m.), Mar. 1 (1 p.m.), Mar. 2 (1 p.m.)
Location: Game 1: John Smith Field, Sacramento, Calif.
                Game 2, 3: Benedetti Diamond
Broadcast: Sacramento State Radio

2014 SCHEDULE
2014 ROSTER
 
GAME NOTES—SACRAMENTO STATE
 
SAN FRANCISCO—The Dons start the weekend aiming to snap their three-game losing streak when they take on Sacramento State in a three-game set beginning on Friday.
 
The first game is scheduled to take place at Sacramento State on Friday and will reconvene in San Francisco for the final game two games of the series, weather pending.
 
The Dons dropped its last contest to Stanford after falling behind 6-0 by the fifth inning. San Francisco began to rally late and put up three runs in the sixth inning with the big hit coming on a two-run double by Brendan Hendriks.
 
This weekend will also mark the first time the Dons will play at home since beating Kansas State on Feb. 18, which was the only home game in the month on February.
 
Abe Bobb, who struck out a career-high 10 batters against No. 2 Cal State Fullerton, will make the start on Friday. He has struck out 17 batters in 12 innings of work this season. Matt Narahara, who will make Sunday's start, is coming off a solid performance against Fullerton where he went five innings while giving up two runs and walking none.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Dons will return to Benedetti Diamond for the first time since Feb. 18 and will play 14 of their 17 games in March at home. This includes conference matchups with Gonzaga, BYU and San Diego along with a nonconference visit from one of the Dons' NCAA Regional opponents last season, Oregon.
 
SPREADING THE LOVE
The Dons have six players with at least three RBI on the young season with Derek Atkinson leading the club with seven.
 
WCC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Houston Hibberd garnered the team's first in-season honor as he was named the WCC Pitcher of the Week on Monday. He went 7.1 no-hit innings in relief during the team's 19-inning win over No. 2 Cal State Fullerton. The senior struck out six along the way.
 
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Bradley Zimmer was named to three All-America first teams in the preseason, including the Louisville Slugger and Baseball America teams. The junior hit .320 with seven home runs and 37 RBI last season and went onto play for the USA National Collegiate Team and Cotuit Keetleers of the Cape Cod League over the summer.
 
GIARRATANO LEGACY
Head coach Nino Giarratano enters his 16th season at the helm of the USF baseball team and is the winningest coach in the program's history with 435. He is also the third winningest coach in WCC history, behind John Cunningham (USD, 524) and current San Diego coach Rich Hill (657). With the win over Kansas State on last week, Giarratano passed Santa Clara's John Oldman for third on that list (433).
 
ABOUT SACRAMENTO STATE
The Hornets come in off a big win against Nevada on Tuesday night. In the bottom of the eighth, with the game tied 4-4, freshman Brandon Hunley hit a three-run home run to put Sacramento State up for good. He is hitting .348 on the young season with six RBI. Nathan Lukes has been an on-base machine for the Hornets and holds a .512 on-base percentage. Starting pitcher Ty Nichols has made two starts and has put together a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings.