SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Wrapping up a rainy home series in the City by the Bay, the USF Dons baseball team (8-4) picked up a 13-6 victory over the Yale Bulldogs (4-5) on Sunday afternoon to take their third straight weekend series of the season at Benedetti Diamond.
Getting the job done in the middle of the Dons' batting order
Mario DeMera reached base five times and drove in the go-ahead run, before
Christian Stapleton broke the game open in the seventh inning with a grand slam to help USF stay perfect in Sunday games this season.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Dodging the early rain drops that were prevalent throughout the day, Yale was able to get on the board first as they scored on an RBI double to left field after the first batter of the game reached on a lead off walk.
- The Bulldogs were able to plate two more runs in the top of the third as they hit two triples in the inning as they were able to grab the early 3-0 lead through two and a half innings of play.
- USF was ready to author a response of their own in the bottom of the third as Harris Williams III led off the inning with a single and Patrick Keighran walked to start the rally. DeMera came through with an RBI single to get the Dons on the board before JT Amaral and TJ Rogers were hit with pitches in consecutive at-bats to even the score at three. Tyler Martinez and Ryan Martinez both put the ball in play to score USF runs and Tyler came around to score on Williams III's RBI double for his second hit of the inning as USF led 6-3.
- Both teams were held off the scoreboard until the seventh inning when the Bulldogs were able to orchestrate a three-run inning to tie the game. USF was once again ready to answer the call with a ton of patient at-bats as they worked three walks and reached on a hit by pitch to score five runs. DeMera came through with the go-ahead run on a bases loaded walk while Stapleton had the big hit of the game with a grand slam to right as the Dons led 11-6 through seven innings.
- Looking to pad their lead, Darius Foster smacked a double to right field and came around to score on a wild pitch and Rogers was hit by another pitch and scored on a T. Martinez sacrifice fly as USF led 13-6.
- Matt McConnell was able to record the final nine outs of the game as he shut the door out of the bullpen to pick up his first collegiate win as the Dons have won their first three home weekend series of the season.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- DeMera had a standout performance at the plate as he reached base five times going 4-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and a pair of RBI against Yale in the series finale.
- Stapleton came through with another big blast as he went 1-for-4 with his grand slam and a walk as he's now tied for the team lead with 16 RBI.
- Williams III was a spark plug at the top of the order as he went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and a walk against the Bulldogs.
- Excelling on the mound in relief, Hunter Holzemer tossed three innings as he allowed a pair of runs while also striking out five Yale hitters and walking just one on Sunday.
POST GAME WITH THE DONS:
UP NEXT:
USF now is back on the road this week as they will head north to the Palouse to battle with the Washington State Cougars (12-2) on Wednesday, March 15 at 4:05 p.m. from Bailey-Brayton Field. Live streaming and live statistics are available via the
team's schedule page.
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the USF baseball program, be sure to follow @SFDonsBaseball on Twitter, @USFDonsBaseball on Instagram and @University.of.San.Francisco.Baseball on Facebook.
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Rep USF today by visiting the all-new USF Dons online store at
www.usfdons.com/shop.
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge our department sponsor – Evergood Sausages - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact
Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.
