USF Baseball Takes Series With 9-6 Win Over Gonzaga :: Dons Smash 15 Hits; Connor Bernatz Goes 5-for-5

May 4, 2008

(Spokane, WA) - San Francisco took the rubber match 9-6, earning the West Coast Conference series win over Gonzaga at the Patterson Complex on Sunday afternoon. USF (28-21, 10-8) smashed 15 hits in the contest, including a double, a triple, and two homeruns.

Freshman center fielder Connor Bernatz led the Dons offensive attack, going 5-for-5 with an RBI. Senior second baseman Joey Railey hit a solo homerun in the fifth, and sophomore shortstop Derek Poppert hit his first homerun of the season, a three-run shot in the ninth. Senior first baseman/RHP Mitchell Bialosky went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Sophomore catcher Ryan Lipkin also had two hits with an RBI and three runs scored. Junior designated hitter Drew Johnson tripled, and senior pinch hitter Matt Lieb doubled in the contest. Senior right fielder Kyle Morgan and freshman third baseman Stephen Yarrow each singled.

Gonzaga (28-20, 8-9 WCC) jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first on Dons freshman left-hander Matt Lujan, but the Dons tied it up in the second when Lipkin singled through the left side and scored on Johnson's triple to center. The tie would last one more inning, before the Bulldogs plated two in the third off four consecutive singles, a sacrifice fly, and an error.

In the fifth, Railey homered to bring it within one, 3-2 before Gonzaga struck again in the bottom of the frame, plating an unearned run. USF then tied it in the sixth, before taking the lead in the seventh. With runners on the corners and two outs, Yarrow singled to shortstop, scoring one. Railey then walked to load the bases and Bernatz hit an RBI single to left field to make it 4-4. In the seventh, the Dons made it 6-4. With runners on first and second, Lipkin singled to center. Both runners scored due to an error by Gonzaga's senior left fielder Marcus McKimmy.

Poppert smashed a three run homerun to left field to secure the victory in the ninth. The Bulldogs plated one each in the eighth and ninth innings, but couldn't come all the way back.

Lujan (6-2) earned the victory, allowing four runs (three earned) off nine hits, three walks and four strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Bialosky allowed one earned run off three hits, no walks and three strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work. Bialosky earned his fifth save of the season. Sophomore right-hander Alex Kalogrides allowed one earned run off one hit and struck out one in the seventh.

Junior right-hander CJ McClure (4-2) took the loss in relief for the Bulldogs, allowing two runs (one earned) off three hits in 1.0 inning. Freshman left-hander Reedy Berg took the no decision, allowing two earned runs off six hits, and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

USF plays out the rest of the season at Benedetti Diamond, starting with a 3:00 PM Tuesday match up with Stanford, and a 3:00 PM non-conference meeting with Saint Mary's on Wednesday.