SAN FRANCISCO  – It's always difficult to dig out of an early hole and the Dons had that lesson reinforced in Friday's 12-6 loss to BYU at Benedetti Diamond.
 
USF (20-32, 14-12 WCC) fell behind 7-0 after the first three innings and, despite putting up a double-digit hit total, were unable to recover.
 
Thomas Ponticelli (3-6) suffered the loss after allowing six runs over 2.1 innings.
 
Allen Smoot doubled and drove in a career-high four runs for the Dons. Puskarich kept his blistering pace going at the plate by collecting another two hits and an RBI, while Matt Sinatro scored three times and added a pair of hits on the day. 
 
"Tough one from the second inning on," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "They're too good of an offensive club to not pitch well. We gave them too many chances and that's what good teams do."
 
After a smooth first inning, Ponticelli ran into trouble in the second as BYU (33-14, 14-9 WCC) scored all four of their runs in the inning with two outs. The Cougars took a 4-0 lead behind RBI singles from Daniel Schneemann, Bronson Larsen, Brennon Lund and Hayden Nielsen.
 
Keaton Kringlen drove in a run with a single in the third, followed by Brennon Anderson's two-run home run to left that put the Cougars up 7-0.
 
Sinatro picked up the Dons' first hit of the game with a single up the middle to lead off the fourth. That sparked a streak of four Dons hits in a row, highlighted by Smoot's RBI single on a hit and run with runners on first and second and Puskarich's run-scoring base hit to left.
 
"We really battled today," said Giarratano. "We did some good things offensively. We can beat you if it's close and we can use our speed, but once the game gets out of hand it makes it kind of difficult." 
 
Eric Urry led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run over the netting in right field. BYU would go on to add three more runs in that frame to move ahead 11-2. Schneeman picked up an RBI double before the Cougars benefitted from a fielding error by Smoot at third base that allowed a run to score, while Nielsen drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center..
 
"The fifth was a killer," said Giarratano. "If we give up two, one and one (between the second and fifth), instead of four, three and four then we're in that ballgame."
 
Smoot cut into the BYU lead by ripping a two-run double off the wall in right center in the fifth.
 
The Dons would add a run with Ryan Matranga's sacrifice fly in the sixth and Smoot's ground ball to second in the ninth with one out and a runner on third that was thrown wildly by Anderson at second base.
 
Freshman righty Connor Brewster closed out the game with three scoreless innings. Brewster came in with the bases loaded in the seventh and issued a walk that put BYU up 12-5. His defense lent him a hand as Smoot started a 5-2-3 double play that helped get the Dons out of the inning with just one run scoring.
 
Sinatro made a nice defensive play in the first inning by robbing Tanner Chauncey of an extra-base hit with a full extension diving catch to end the inning.
 
Mason Marshall (2-3) was the winner for BYU after taking the loss in Thursday's series opener. Marshall allowed one run on three hits over four complete innings with a walk and five strikeouts.
 
Six different BYU hitters tallied multi-hit games. Leading the way was Anderson's 4-for-4 day with four runs scored and a pair of RBI.
 
 
NOTES: 1B Ross Puskarich has hit safely in his last 13 games, tying him with Blake Valley for the longest streak on the team this year… Puskarich has recorded multiple hits in his last five games and driven in nine runs over that span… Allen Smoot joins Brady Bate (vs. San Diego, Apr. 22) as the only Dons to drive in at least four runs this year.
 
UP NEXT: The Dons and Cougars conclude their three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m. from Benedetti Diamond. USF will send out junior righty James Kannenberg (6-4, 3.48) to matchup with BYU left-hander Hayden Rogers (4-3, 3.51). Two special ceremonies will be taking place prior to Saturday's regular season home finale: USF will recognize the 10th anniversary of the 2006 squad that won the program's first WCC championship and played in the first NCAA Regional in team history. Then the Dons' six seniors will be honored prior to first pitch. All of this weekend's action can be followed via live stats on USFDons.com and a live video stream on the TheW.tv.