University of San Francisco Athletics

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Games No. 15-17
San Francisco Dons (8-6) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (4-12)
Mar. 14 (2 p.m.), 15 (1 p.m.), 16 (1 p.m.)
Location: Benedetti Diamond
Broadcast: USFDons.com/LIVE (Play-by-Play: Max Harris (Fri.), Pat Olson (Sat./Sun.))

2014 SCHEDULE
2014 ROSTER
 
GAME NOTES - GONZAGA

SAN FRANCISCO—After the team's best weekend of the season thus far, the Dons will open up West Coast Conference play with a three-game set at home against Gonzaga on Friday.
 
San Francisco (8-6, 0-0 WCC) has won four straight games and five of the last six and that charge has been defined by the team's pitching. The Dons pitching staff allowed one run in three games in the Cal Baseball Classic against No. 27 Arkansas, California and Tulane.
 
It is the first time since 2012 the Dons have thrown back-to-back shutouts and the first time since 1973 that the team has allowed one run in a three-game stretch. The Dons also became one of only 15 teams in the nation to throw back-to-back shutouts.
 
Abe Bobb has won his last two starts and has thrown 15 innings and allowed two runs on 13 hits.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Friday: Abe Bobb (2-1, 4.00 ERA)
Saturday: Christian Cecilio (2-2, 3.38)
Sunday: Grant Goodman (1-1, 3.94)
 
GRANT'S GOOD-IES
Grant Goodman made his first weekend start on Sunday against Tulane and found a rhythm early and maintained it against the Green Wave. He threw eight shutout innings, striking out seven and gave up two hits. It was the first win of his career.
 
GET 'EM TO THE SIXTH
The Dons are 7-0 in games where they either lead or are tied going into the sixth inning this season. This is primarily due to the performance of the bullpen. The Dons have gone to Ben Graff, Thomas Cox, Brock Larson and Houston Hibberd most often and the four have combined to throw 35.2 innings and carry an ERA of 2.27. Hibberd has been near untouchable with a 0.61 ERA in 14.2 innings.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Dons played at Benedetti Diamond for only the second and third times all season when they hosted the double header against Sacramento State. Beginning this weekend, they will play 11 of the next 12 games 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.
 
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 441. 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 Feb. 18, Giarratano passed Santa Clara's John Oldman for third on that list (433).
 
ABOUT GONZAGA
Gonzaga's rotation has kept them in games but its offense has not helped the cause. Weekend starters Taylor Jones and Andrew Sopko hold ERAs of 1.33 and 2.84 respectively but they are only 2-2 on the season. The Bulldogs have scored a mere 48 runs in the first 13 games (3.69 runs/game) and it seems prompted by the lack of power. Gonzaga comes into the week slugging .289 as a team this season. The Dons went 1-2 against Gonzaga last season in Spokane but beat the Bulldgs in the WCC championships.