The Rundown
Reno, Nev. - The University of San Francisco Dons baseball (25-24) were undone with a six-run fourth inning in their final road game of the year against the Nevada Wolfpack (26-19), 6-0.
 
After two scoreless innings, the Dons would threaten to score in the third inning that began with back-to-back singles from Nick Yovetich and Brady Bate. Dominic Grissom would come up next and lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over to second and third with one-out. Jason Kreske would hit a ground ball to the first baseman who would catch Yovetich trying to score on the play and get the out. The inning would end a batter later, and the Dons would not get any runs across.
 
Wolfpack would get the first run of the game on a lead-off home run from Mike Echavia to start the home half of the fourth inning. The home run would be followed by a walk and a single up the middle to put runners on first and second and no-outs. An error by Dominic Grissom at third on the next at-bat would load the bases, and the next batter would work a ten pitch walk to bring in the second run of the inning. Starting pitcher, Alex Pham, would be replaced by Benji Post. Post would face Keaton Smith, and the second baseman from Nevada would hit a grand slam over the left field fence to make it 6-0, Wolfpack. Post would retire the next three batters to end the inning.
 
Following that inning, the Dons bullpen would shut down the Nevada bats as they would go four scoreless innings to keep USF in the game after that big fourth inning. Joey Steele would come on in the fifth inning and strike out two of the three batters he faced in a one-two-three inning. Grant Young would do the same in the sixth, retiring the side in order. Haydn King and Grant Goodman would come in and finish the game out, allowing a combined three hits.
 
The Dons would be unable to score in the final innings to bring the game close, ending with the final score of 6-0, Nevada.
 
With this loss, the Dons move to 25-24 on the season and will return home for the remainder of the season, beginning with another pivotal three-game West Coast Conference series against BYU beginning on Thursday, May 10 at 3 p.m.

COACHES CORNER
USF head coach Nino Giarratano
On the fourth inning
"I thought Pham pitched good into the fourth and gave up home run. Shook his confidence and wasn't able to get it back. We missed a bunt coverage that didn't hurt at first as the umpire called the runner out but changed his call, and we then changed pitchers to bring in Benji and he gave up the grand slam."
 
On the offense with runners in scoring position
"Didn't execute with runners in scoring position. Rested some guys to get ready for the weekend. Haven't been executed offensively, did on Friday against Pepperdine but then didn't execute on Saturday and Sunday. If we don't execute offensively, we're going to have to pitch better and play better defense."
 
Going into this weekend's series against BYU
"We're going to have to step up and play well this weekend. Hopefully kids can turn around and play well on Thursday and then again on Friday and Saturday. We're going to take it one day at a time right now."

GAME STATS

• Brady Bate led the Dons with three hits, moving his season total to 29.
• Nick Yovetich and Michael Perri both went two-for-four today.
• Perri's two hits moves him into a tie in that category with Jonathan Allen for the team lead.
• Joey Steele's two strikeouts moves his season total to 17.
• Grant Goodman added two strike outs as well, putting his total at 21.