SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – It wasn't the prettiest performance of the year, but it got the job done as the Dons took an early lead and held off the visiting San Jose State Spartans for six innings to secure a 4-3 win on Tuesday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond.
 
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Grant Goodman (1-4) picked up his first win of the season, coming on in relief to throw 2.1 scoreless innings where he allowed five hits with one strikeout.
 
Shortstop Nico Giarratano helped spur the offense with a pair of hits and a pair of runs scored to go along with an RBI base hit. Third baseman Allen Smoot matched his season-best with three hits on the day and first baseman Matt Warkentin notched his first collegiate extra-base hit that drove in a run. 
 
"I'm excited about what we did offensively throughout the lineup," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "I was excited about how we played defensively, too; we just keep making plays. We had opportunities to score more runs and break the game open, so we want to be able to take better advantage of those chances.
 
"I think pitching-wise, we walked eight and hit two, but we still only gave up three runs. They left a lot of guys on base; we're lucky they didn't score 15 against us with the way we pitched, so we want to make sure we clean that up."
 
Goodman came on in relief of Connor Brewster - who was making his first collegiate start - with two outs and a runner on second and surrendered a bloop single to David Campbell that scored a run. But Goodman went on to put up zeros from that point.
 
Both teams traded runs through the first three innings, but it was USF (13-26) that started it in the bottom of the first when Giarratano was credited with a steal of home after Smoot got caught in a rundown between first and second, giving Giarratano a chance to scamper home from third to give the Dons a 1-0 lead.
 
San Jose State (11-25) answered in the top half of the second with Michael Breen's RBI single.
Warkentin ripped a double down the left field line to plate a run in the bottom of the second, while the Dons added the eventual game-winning runs in the bottom of the third with Ross Puskarich's sacrifice fly and Giarratano's double into the right field corner.
 
USF grounded into three double plays – matching its season high – but also turned three double plays in the game, giving them the most combined double plays in a game this season.
 
The double play that stood out came in the top of the third when right fielder Brady Bate caught a fly ball towards the warning track and came up to rifle a bullet on the fly to third base to nail Aaron Pleschner trying to tag from second. It was Bate's fourth outfield assist of the year.
 
The Spartans managed to put some pressure on in the top of the eighth as Frank Waliczek hit a batter to load the bases with one out. That's when Joey Carney came on and walked his first batter, forcing in a run, before getting the next two hitters to get out of it with a 4-3 lead intact.
  
Carney earned his team-leading fourth save by closing out the game from that point.
 
Graham Gomez (1-4) suffered the loss out of the bullpen for the Spartans, throwing two innings where he allowed two runs on six hits.
 
Breen went 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead San Jose State offensively.
 
  
NOTES: OF/IF Matt Sinatro extended his hitting streak to nine in a row with a single to lead off the third inning… Sinatro's streak is the longest current streak on the team… SS Nico Giarratano extended his team-best on-base streak to 13 games, matching Beau Bozett and Blake Valley for the longest this season.
 
UP NEXT: The Dons look to stay in the WCC title hunt with a three-game home series against San Diego coming up this weekend at Benedetti Diamond. Coming into play Tuesday, USF and San Diego were tied for third in the conference standings with identical 7-8 records in WCC play. Friday's series opener will feature a 3 p.m. first pitch as senior righty Anthony Shew (2-5, 5.01) tries to win his second game in a row. All three games this weekend will be streamed live on TheW.tv and feature live stats at USFDons.com.