The Dons needed to bounce back from a quiet offensive day on Sunday and did so in a major way by racking up seven runs on 13 hits on visiting Nevada. Sunshine drenched the field instead of rain and the Dons made the most of it.

USF (12-9, 1-2 WCC) jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings as the hits just kept coming. The first run only took two batters as Matt Sinatro led off with a single and then promptly stole second. Nico Giarratano cashed in as he doubled down the right field line to put the Dons up 1-0.

The game really opened up in the second inning when Sinatro doubled home Riley Helland to make it 2-0. Allen Smoot would double home Sinatro and ultimately be singled home himself by Ross Puskarich.

Puskarich would then break the game wide open in the fourth inning. With Sinatro at second and Helland at third, he would rip a single up the middle to put USF up 6-0.
"The two out hit by Ross was huge," head coach Nino Giarratano said. "That really opened things up for us."

The Dons would tack on one more in the bottom of the seventh inning when Tyler Villaroman struck a sacrifice fly to center field that got Aaron Ping across the plate.
Sinatro led the way going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI. Puskarich ended up 2-for-4 with 3 RBI. Helland went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Freshman Grant Young got the start – the first of his collegiate career – and went two innings without allowing a run and striking out three. Benji Post would follow and pick up the win with two scoreless innings in which he only allowed one hit. Brendan Jenkins, Joey Steele and Riley Ornido would combine to pitch four scoreless innings with only two Nevada (5-16, 2-7 MW) hits.

"I thought Grant Young did a great job putting up zeroes," Giarratano said. "I think Jenkins looked great in the middle. I really thought Ornido did a good job pitching through some things, too. I think that's the difference today, we really pitched well."

Now the Dons embark on a tough road trip that will start in Spokane, Washington at Gonzaga on Friday.

"As heavy as it was this past weekend (against LMU) we expect a lot of the same," Giarratano explained. "We have to focus on Gonzaga now, they're a tough team to face in a great place to play. The weather will be an issue. Their pitching will be an issue. Their hitters are going to be an issue. We have got a lot of things ahead of us. And, hey, maybe they'll be distracted by the Sweet-16."