PULLMAN, Wash. - Heading on the road for their first extended trip of the season, the University of San Francisco baseball team (9-4) completed a comeback win over No. 20 Washington State (13-3) on Wednesday afternoon as the Dons used a nine-run seventh inning to grab control and never look back on their way to a 14-8 victory at Bailey-Brayton Field.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Getting the scoring started, Washington State scratched across the opening run of the contest on an RBI double from Jacob McKeon in their first turn at the plate.
• With not much action in the second, the Dons capitalized on two Cougar errors in the top of the third as Blake Atkins scored on a throwing error by WSU's Cam Magee before Mario DeMera brought home Harris Williams III on a sacrifice bunt to put USF on top, 2-1.
• Shortly thereafter, Washington State responded by putting up five runs in the home half of the third, which included back-to-back home runs that helped put the Cougars back in charge, 6-2, through three innings.
• One inning later, the WSU extended their advantage to five, 7-2, when McKeon came around on a wild pitch from Kai Burdick in the bottom of the fourth. Similar to the fourth, the Cougars added one more on an RBI single in the fifth as they led 8-2 heading into the sixth inning.
• Starting the momentum shift, Logan Azem picked up his first as a Don in the top of the sixth on an RBI single that plated Zach Griffin as USF chipped away at their deficit to come back within five, 8-3.
• Putting together arguably their best inning of the season offensively in the seventh, San Francisco exploded for nine runs in the top of the inning, which was highlighted by a game-tying three-run home run from Will Asby to knot the score at 8. After Asby's long ball, the Dons went on to total seven hits in the inning as USF batted around while sending 14 batters to the plate. After seven innings, the green and gold had seized the lead, 12-8.
• Adding insurance in crunch time, Williams III dribbled a seeing-eye single through the right side of the infield in the top of the eighth to add to USF's advantage and push the score to 14-8 in favor of the Dons.
• Coming on out of the bullpen, freshman Gabriel Barrett came on in relief to shut down the Cougars in the final two innings of play as the green and gold held on to notch their first road win and ranked win of the year.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Collecting his first big fly at USF, Asby finished the day 2-for-6 with two hits, two runs scored and three RBI as he delivered when it mattered most for the Dons.
• As a whole the top of the order produced in a major way on Wednesday as five Dons tallied at least two hits in the win: Williams III (2), DeMera (2), Christian Stapleton (2), Griffin (2) and Asby (2). Additionally, Williams III, Stapleton and Asby each drove in three runs apiece.
• On the mound, Oscar Lepe logged his seventh consecutive scoreless outing out of the bullpen as the left-hander has yet to allow an earned run this season. Overall, the senior tossed 1.0 inning while striking out one and allowing one hit and one walk. Picking up the victory, he now ties Jesse Barron and Adam Shew for the team lead in wins.
• For head coach Rob DiToma, this win marked his first road win at the helm of the Dons as well as his first career victory over a ranked opponent as a head coach.

POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:
Head Coach Rob DiToma- "Today was a great team win. I'm really proud of how the guys just hung in there and played a full 9 innings. Being down 8-2 after 5 on the road, in a really tough environment against a top 20 team in America, a lot of teams may have given in. We fought back and got big hit after big hit and put four zeroes up on the mound to end the game...A great team win today and a good start to the trip."
 
UP NEXT:
USF will head about 75 miles north to Spokane this weekend as the Dons will begin West Coast Conference play at the home of the defending WCC regular season champions – the Gonzaga Bulldogs. First pitch from Patterson Baseball Complex on Friday and Saturday night is scheduled for 6:00 pm while Sunday's series finale will begin at 1:00 pm. Live streaming and live statistics for all three games 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.