SAN JOSE/SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The University of San Francisco baseball team (14-10, 0-0 WCC) hits the road to take on San Jose State (8-16) at 5:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 26, at Excite Ballpark and begins West Coast Conference play on Thursday, Mar 28 – Saturday Mar. 30, when it hosts Santa Clara (12-9, 0-3 WCC) at Benedetti Diamond.

GAME DETAILS
GAME 25: Tuesday, Mar. 26, 2024
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Opponent: San Jose State  
Site: Excite Ballpark
Location: San Jose, Calif.
Watch: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
 
SERIES DETAILS
GAME 26: Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024
Time: 2 p.m.
Opponent: Santa Clara  
Site: Benedetti Diamond  
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Tickets: Purchase Here
 
GAME 27: Friday, Mar. 29, 2024
Time: 1 p.m.
Opponent: Santa Clara  
Site: Benedetti Diamond  
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Tickets: Purchase Here
 
GAME 28: Saturday, Mar. 29, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. 
Opponent: Santa Clara  
Site: Benedetti Diamond  
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Tickets: Purchase Here
 
DONS AT A GLANCE:

• San Francisco is coming off a three-game set against Minnesota last weekend on the Hilltop, securing a 6-4 win on Friday, Mar. 22 in the series opener.
• Adam Shew and Gabriel Barrett shined on the mound for the Dons in the victory, shutting out the Golden Gophers in a combined 5.1 inning while allowing just five hits. Barrett picked up his league-leading third save after pitching 3.1 innings, allowing two hits and striking out four batters.
• Five players recorded a hit during the contest, highlighted by a Patrick Keighran two-run home run to give the Dons the lead in the fifth inning.
• Kody Watanabe leads San Francisco offensively through 24 games this season, ranking first on the team in batting average (.354), hits (28), doubles (10), RBI (20), slugging percentage (.557), and on-base percentage (.528). Within the WCC, Watanabe ranks fourth in batting average, ninth in hits, and sixth in RBI.
• TJ Rogers has also propelled the green and gold, hitting .324 on the season with 23 hits in 71 at-bats. In the last nine games, Rogers has posted three-hit performances four times, including three-for-five at the plate against Minnesota on Saturday, Mar. 23. 
• Barrett continues to lead the Dons in pitching, totaling a 0.73 earned-run average in six appearances with one start. Allowing only two earned runs in 24.2 innings, Barrett has allowed 18 hits and struck out 25 batters in 88 total at-bats.
• As a team, San Francisco ranks seventh in the WCC with a .260 batting average and third in earned-run average at 5.06. The Dons have three players ranked in the top 10 individually in pitching as Barrett (first - 0.73 ERA), Lance Santerre (eighth - 3.60 ERA), and Joe Soberon (ninth - 3.78 ERA) have led the green and gold on the mound. 

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS:

• San Jose State has lost five of its last seven games entering this week, including dropping two straight at New Mexico in a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 23.
• The Spartans have fallen to fifth place in the Mountain West Conference standings with a 4-8 record after losing series to UNLV, Fresno State, and New Mexico.
• Four players have recorded .300 or higher batting averages through 24 games, with Robert Hamchuk leading the team at .324. Hamchuk leads the Spartans and ranks tied for third in the Mountain West in hits with 33 while totaling 13 extra-base hits.
• Dalton Bowling, second on the team with a .317 batting average, has produced the power this season, recording a team-high nine home runs.
• Cade Van Allen has been the Spartans' top pitcher, leading the team with a 3.68 earned-run average. In 14.2 innings, Van Allen has allowed six earned runs on 13 hits and totaled 17 strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS:

• Santa Clara begins a four-game road trip on Monday, Mar. 25, when it takes on California before traveling to the Hilltop for a conference series against San Francisco.
• Santa Clara enters the week tied for eighth in the WCC standings after being swept by Portland at home last weekend. In the three games, the Pilots outscored the Broncos 31-9, highlighted by a decisive 16-4 victory at Stephen Scott Stadium on Sunday, Mar. 24, in the series finale.
• JonJon Berring leads the Broncos with a .345 batting average, with a team-high 30 hits in 87 at-bats. In 20 games, Berring has totaled eight multi-hit games, including a four-for-six outing with two doubles, a home run, and four RBI against UMBC on February 25.
• Cade Pilchard and Brandon Gomez have been the workhorses in the pitching rotation, earning five starts and appearing in a combined 12 games. Pilchard ranks second on the team with a 5.25 earned-run average, allowing 14 earned runs in 24 innings, while Gomez leads the Broncos in innings pitched at 26 and has totaled a 5.88 earned-runs average.
• As a team, Santa Clara ranks fourth in the WCC in batting average (.270) and pitching (5.54 earned-run average) while having the second-most steals with 41. 

SERIES HISTORY:

• San Francisco holds a 23-19 advantage over San Jose State since the 2006 season, earning 10 on the road in San Jose. The two programs faced off earlier this season, with the Dons coming away with a narrow 7-6 victory on March 13 on a TJ Rogers walk-off home run in the 11th inning.
• San Francisco has been successful against Santa Clara since 2006, winning 33 of the 53 games played. Last season, the Broncos took care of business at home, sweeping the Dons by a combined score of 14-9 at Stephen Scott Stadium. 

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? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to purchase.
 
SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor – Planet Orange - 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.