The Rundown
SAN FRANCISCO - The University of San Francisco Dons baseball (25-26, 14-12 WCC) fought back, but were unable to get the win in game two of their series against BYU (21-24, 10-13 WCC), 9-7.
 
In the second inning, BYU would get the scoring started for the second consecutive day. The inning would start with back-to-back singles from Nate Favero and Keaton Kringlen. The next batter up would hit a ground ball double passed the diving Ross Puskarich and down the right field line, bringing in the two runners. The Cougars would add another through a double play that brought the runner on third base across to score and make it 3-0 after two.
 
After a two-run home run from Favero pushed the BYU lead to 5-0, the Dons would answer back with three runs of their own. Jonathan Allen would start the inning, getting hit by a pitch. Villaroman would then reach on well-placed bunt, then Michael Perri would be the second batter of the inning to be hit. With the bases loaded and no-outs, Ross Puskarich would work a walk to bring in Allen to cut the Cougars lead to four runs. After seeing eleven pitches, Riley Helland would single up the middle and into center field to bring Villaroman and Perri around to score and make it 5-3, BYU.
 
The Dons would answer the run scored by the Cougars in fifth on a lead-off home run from Puskarich, keeping the BYU lead at a two-run 6-4.
 
A double from BYU's Brennon Anderson would start the seventh inning. The next batter would hit a triple to right field, bringing Anderson around to score. With the infield playing in, the next batter would hit a sharp ground ball into right field to bring the second run of the inning in from third and make it 8-4.
 
USF would come back in the home half of the seventh and get going with a lead-off double from Ross Puskarich. Riley Helland would get a hard-hit ground ball walking the foul line and down the right field line, bringing Puskarich around from second.
 
Perri would bring the Dons within one of the Cougars in the eighth inning, launching a two-run home run into the left field netting with two-outs.
 
The Cougars would add an insurance run in the top of the ninth. After a one-out single, Favero would hit a double into left field to bring in the runner from first base.
 
With this loss, the Dons move to 25-26 and 14-12 in the WCC. USF will look to get a win in the series finale against BYU on Saturday at 1 p.m.

COACHES CORNER
USF head coach Nino Giarratano

????| Team battled tough today, but BYU were on their game. pic.twitter.com/n3yFcE2KGx

— USF Dons Baseball (@SFDonsBaseball) May 12, 2018

GAME STATS

• Perri takes the team lead in home runs with his two-run shot today, putting him at eight on the year.
• Perri now leads the team in hits (71), batting average (.345) and RBIs (39)
• Helland was the hit leader for USF on the day with three, bumping his hit total to 62.
• Puskarich's home run was his fourth of the year.
• Ornido's six Ks put him at 85 on the year, which leads the team.