SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Competing in their lone game of the week, the USF Dons baseball team (16-27, 7-17) dropped their midweek tilt with the San José State Spartans (23-22, 15-11) on Tuesday afternoon by a 12-3 final score at Benedetti Diamond.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• The Spartans were able to get off to a fast start on Tuesday afternoon as they plated three runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead at Benedetti Diamond.
• Adding to their run total in the top of the third, San José State scratched across an addition run to extend their lead to 4-1.
• USF was ready to answer back in the next half inning as Zach Griffin led off the inning with a double off the wall in left center field and eventually came around to score when Christian Stapleton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 4-1 Spartans.
• The visitors when then score the next three runs of the game with a tally in the top of the fifth and then added two more runs in the top of the seventh to grow their lead to 7-1.
• Looking to build a late inning rally, Will Asby led off the Dons' half of the seventh with a walk and Patrick Keighran followed by getting hit by a pitch to put two guys on with nobody out. JT Amaral would then come through with an RBI single back up the box that brought home Asby to get the Dons a little closer. Not done yet as a team, Harris Williams III blasted a deep fly ball to center that resulted in a sacrifice fly to score Keighran and shrink the Spartans' lead to 7-3.
• The Spartans would go on to score six more runs with two in the seventh and eight while also adding three in the top of the ninth as they earned the 12-3 victory on Tuesday afternoon.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Providing a spark at the top of the batting order, Williams III was able to reach base three times as he was twice hit by a pitch and worked a walk as he went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly against the Spartans.
• Getting the start behind the plate, Griffin was able to go 1-for-4 with his big double and a run scored against San José State.
• Making his return to the starting lineup, Amaral went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI single for the Dons as he played left field on Tuesday.
• Excelling on the mound against the Spartans, Ryan Yerby, Matt McConnell, Gabriel Barrett and A.C. Cabrera each combined to allow just one earned run across six innings pitched while striking out five San José State hitters.

POST GAME WITH THE DONS:

• To view the highlights from today's game, please click here.
• To view our post game press conference with USF head baseball coach Rob DiToma, please click here.

UP NEXT:
The Dons will be back to game action a week from today as they will welcome the UC Davis Aggies (17-26, 7-14) to the Hilltop on Tuesday, May 16 for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch from Benedetti Diamond. Live streaming and live statistics for the contest 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 primary department sponsor – Provident Credit Union - 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.