Dons Open WCC Play at Santa Clara

Friday, March 18

Santa Clara, Calif.

7 p.m.

University of San Francisco

Santa Clara

Photo by: David Bush

3/17/2016 5:06:00 PM | Baseball

THIS WEEKEND

USF (5-14, 0-0 WCC) at Santa Clara (7-8, 0-0 WCC)
Stephen Schott Stadium | Santa Clara, Calif.

PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, Mar. 18 7 p.m. | Live Stats | Audio (Pat Olson) | Video (TheW.tv)
USF: RHP Anthony Shew (0-2, 7.27) SCU: RHP Mitchell White (1-2, 1.69)

Saturday, Mar. 19 6 p.m. | Live Stats | Audio (Pat Olson) | Video (TheW.tv)
USF: LHP Chase Gardner (0-2, 7.16) SCU: RHP Steven Wilson (2-0, 3.26)

Sunday, Mar. 20 1 p.m. | Live Stats | Audio (Pat Olson) | Video (TheW.tv)
USF: RHP James Kannenberg (1-1, 4.22) SCU: Jason Seever (2-0, 2.04)

SAN FRANCISCO – The USF Dons (5-14) travel down to Santa Clara to open up West Coast Conference play this weekend with a three-game series against the Broncos (7-8). The series will open with a 7 p.m. first pitch on Friday, followed by a 6 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1 p.m. tilt to close out the series on Sunday. This series was originally scheduled to be a home series for USF, but the ongoing renovations to Benedetti Diamond necessitated the location change.

RHP Anthony Shew (0-2, 7.27) will get the nod Friday, while RHP Mitchell White (1-2, 1.69) takes the mound for the Broncos.

LHP Chase Gardner (0-2, 7.16) will go for the Dons on Saturday, while Santa Clara will counter with RHP Steven Wilson (2-0, 3.26).

On Sunday, RHP James Kannenberg (1-1, 4.22) will take the hill opposite SCU's Jason Seever (2-0, 2.04).

Fans can follow all of the weekend's action via live stats, a live audio-only stream with the voice of the Dons, Pat Olson, on the call, and a live video stream on TheW.tv, all available at usfdons.com.

THE STORY SO FAR
The Dons are riding a modest three-game winning streak coming into the weekend after posting a 6-3 win on Tuesday at San Jose State and an 8-1 victory over UMass Lowell on Wednesday. Aaron Ping (3-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B) helped lead the Dons offensively against the Spartans, while Ryan Matranga (2-for-4) contributed three RBI in the win.

Against UMass Lowell, Thomas Ponticelli (7 IP, 5 H, R, BB, 6 K) picked up his first collegiate victory while Matt Sinatro (2-for-3, 4 R) and Nico Giarratano (2-for-3, RBI) helped power the Dons' offense to its highest run output of the year.

OF/DH Blake Valley extended his team-best hitting streak to 13 games with base hits in each game this week. Valley is hitting .340 (18-for-53) with 10 RBI, a double and four runs scored during his streak.
In his first-career win this past Wednesday, RHP Thomas Ponticelli matched Anthony Shew's seven-inning outing at Cal Poly on Mar. 4 as the longest outing for a Don hurler this season
Over the last 10 games, 2B Aaron Ping (.387, 5 R, 3 2B, 2 RBI) and OF/IF Matt Sinatro (.385, 9 R, RBI) have been hot at the plate, leading the team during that span
Over the first nine games of the season, the Dons' pitching staff carried a 7.13 team ERA, but over the past 10 games, USF's ERA has dropped to 3.90

ABOUT SANTA CLARA
The Broncos come into the weekend sporting a 7-8 overall record after dropping two of three from UMass Lowell in their most recent action this past weekend at Schott Stadium. SCU is 5-5 at home this season. Among the Broncos' notable wins this season are two home victories over Notre Dame to open the season, a win at Washington and a win over Michigan at home.

Shortstop John Cresto (.339, 4 HR, 7 RBI) leads the Broncos at the plate, while catcher Stevie Berman (.321, 3 HR, 10 RBI) and center fielder Kert Woods (.250, 8 RBI) have been top performers offensively.

As a team, the Broncos are hitting at a .225 clip with nine home runs and are 12-of-19 in stolen base attempts.

On the mound, the Broncos boast a 3.30 team ERA with 134 strikeouts in 133.2 innings pitched.

KEEP AN EYE ON…
The Broncos are only hitting .225 as a team, but opposing hitters have been hitting .315 against Dons' pitchers so far.

THE SERIES
The Dons are 34-29 against Santa Clara under head coach Nino Giarratano (since 1999). USF swept last season's series in Santa Clara - by scores of 9-1, 13-4 and 6-0 - and has won eight of the last nine meetings.