THIS WEEKEND
USF (8-19, 3-3 WCC) at Pepperdine (11-12, 2-4 WCC)    
Friday, Apr. 1 - Sunday, Apr. 3 
Eddy D. Field Stadium | Malibu, Calif. 
Live stats: usfdons.com | Audio/Video: TheW.tv  

PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, April 1 | 3 p.m.
USF: RHP Anthony Shew (1-3, 4.94)  |  PEP: RHP A.J. Puckett (3-2, 1.88)

Saturday, April 2 | 1 p.m.
USF: RHP Thomas Ponticelli (1-2, 6.00)  |  PEP: LHP Ryan Wilson (0-0, 1.42)

Sunday, April 3 | 1 p.m.
USF: RHP James Kannenberg (2-2, 4.31)  |  PEP: LHP Easton Lucas (2-3, 5.54)

Complete Game Notes [PDF]

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SAN FRANCISCO – The USF Dons (8-19, 3-3 WCC) head to Malibu for a three-game West Coast Conference series at Pepperdine (11-12, 2-4) this weekend. Game one is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch on Friday, followed by 1 p.m. starts on Saturday and Sunday. The Dons hit the road for their seventh consecutive road series of the year as they await the completion of the new Benedetti Diamond. USF will be looking for its second WCC series win of the year.

Fans can follow the weekend's action via live stats on USFDons.com and live video feeds on TheW.tv throughout the weekend.
 
THE STORY SO FAR
USF suffered a 7-5 loss to No. 13 Cal on Tuesday evening at Evans Diamond as the Golden Bears rallied back with a five-run fifth inning after the Dons got out to a 4-0 lead. USF issued a season-high eight walks, but also stole a season-best six bases in the game. Nico Giarratano clubbed his second home run of the year with a solo shot off the right field foul pole in the top of the fourth. Grant Goodman (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on two hits while walking two and striking out one in his one-third of an inning.
 
• INF Allen Smoot has now hit safely in his last seven contests - the longest current streak on the team - hitting at a .423 (11-for-26) clip with four doubles, five RBI and four runs scored during that span
• 3B/1B Dan James has paced the Dons offensively over the past 10 games, hitting .474 (9-for-19) with two doubles, six RBI and two runs scored
• James went 4-for-5 with a double, a run scored and two RBI at Sacramento State (Mar. 22), becoming the first Don since Connor Bernatz (5-for-5 vs. Stanford, May 6, 2008) to have at least four hits in a game
• USF is now 2-10 in games decided by two runs or less
• Have scored in the seventh inning or later in 13 of their last 16 games; they are 6-10 in those contests with three come-from-behind victories over that span
• Through the first 13 games of the season, the Dons were hitting .277 with a 6.26 team ERA; the last 14 games have seen the Dons hit at a .260 clip with a 4.20 ERA
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE
The Waves come into the weekend in eighth place in the WCC standings with an 11-12 overall record and a 2-4 mark in conference play. Pepperdine won the series opener against San Diego at home this past weekend, before dropping the final two games of the series. The Waves followed that up by defeating UC Santa Barbara 6-2 at home on Tuesday.
 
Shortstop Manny Jefferson (.329, 5 HR, 19 RBI) leads the Waves at the plate this season, while left fielder Matthew Kanfer (.329, HR, 19 RBI) and first baseman Brad Anderson (.275, 4 HR, 17 RBI) have chipped in with some run production.
 
The Waves are hitting .253 as a team heading into the weekend, while their 20 home runs rank second in the WCC. On the mound, Pepperdine brings a 4.53 team ERA into the series, with Wave pitchers registering 150 strikeouts in 204.2 innings pitched while opposing teams are hitting at a .261 clip.    
 
KEEP AN EYE ON: While USF's hitters have been up and down this season, the Dons have been a consistent threat on the basepaths, ranking third in the conference in stolen bases (34) and tied for second in stolen base attempts (53). Meanwhile, Pepperdine has the fewest stolen bases in the WCC (12) and the fewest attempts (16).
 
THE SERIES
The Dons are 22-41 against the Waves during head coach Nino Giarratano's tenure (since 1999). Pepperdine took two of the three games in last year's series at Benedetti Diamond. The Waves won game one of a doubleheader, 5-4, before USF came back in game two to post a 5-2 victory. Pepperdine then won the series finale by a score of 7-6.  
 
 
WCC STANDINGS (Mar. 30)

	WCC	OVERALL
#24 BYU	4-2	20-3
SAINT MARY'S	4-2	13-9
GONZAGA	3-3	13-10
SAN DIEGO	3-3	15-12
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT	3-3	11-14
PACIFIC	3-3	9-13
SAN FRANCISCO	3-3	8-19
PEPPERDINE	2-4	11-12
PORTLAND	1-2	13-12
SANTA CLARA	1-2	10-12