March 10, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

DONS HAVE MID-WEEK MATCHUPS WITH CAL AND PACIFIC BEFORE HITTING THE ROAD TO TEXAS FOR A WEEKEND SERIES WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON: USF meets Cal for the first time in 2008 on Tuesday at Levin-Fricke Field. First pitch is set for 2:00 PM. On Wednesday, the Dons play at Benedetti Diamond for just the second time this season, hosting Pacific at 2:00 PM. Friday and Saturday in Houston are set for 4:30 PM Pacific, and Sunday is a 11:00 AM Pacific first pitch.

LAST WEEK: San Francisco opened its 2008 home schedule with an 8-6 loss to Bay Area rival San Jose State on Tuesday afternoon. The Dons haven't lost a home opener since falling to Cal 5-4 on February 4, 2003. Dons sophomore right-hander Joe Oropeza (0-1) earned the loss, giving up four earned runs off two hits and three walks in 1.1 innings of relief. Joey Railey led the Dons at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Mitchell Bialosky had two hits, including a double and two RBI.

San Francisco ended its four game slide as the Dons defeated UC Davis 7-6 in non-conference action at Dobbins Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. In the top of the ninth, the Dons would make it 7-4 when with the bases loaded, Bobby Ethel singled and junior pinch hitter Dane Braunecker hit a sacrifice fly to right field. The Aggies mounted a rally, plating two in the bottom of the frame, but couldn't come all the way back. Sophomore RHP Alex Kalogrides (1-0) earned the win in relief, allowing two earned runs off two hits, three walks, and striking out one in 2.2 innings. Connor Bernatz ended the day 2-for-4 with a homerun, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored. Bialosky went 2-for-5 with a homerun, a run scored and an RBI.

San Francisco earned the 8-7 victory over UNLV, but it took 13 innings and over four and a half hours to do so. In its longest game of the year, USF smacked a season high 15 hits and allowed 19 by UNLV at Earl L. Wilson Stadium. Tavo Hall led the Dons at the plate, going 4-for-6 with two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Connor Bernatz went 3-for-7 with four RBI. Ryan Lipkin had two hits, including a double, and two runs scored. Railey also had two hits, with an RBI and a stolen base. Senior second baseman Joey Railey also had two hits, with an RBI and a stolen base. Dane Braunecker, Mitchell Bialosky, Kyle Morgan and Matt Lieb (double) also had a hit for the Dons. Kalogrides (2-0) earned the win in relief for USF. Pitching the 12th and 13th innings, Kalogrides did not allow a run off three hits and two strikeouts.

San Francisco could manage only two base knocks as it fell to UNLV 6-1 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Senior LHP Matt Baugh (1-2) took the loss for USF in 5.0 innings of work, allowing five runs (four earned), off eight hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Bernatz and Chris Escobar were the only Dons to get hits in the contest.

San Francisco earned its first series win of the 2008 season with an 11-8 victory over UNLV at Earl E Wilson Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Dons were trailing the Rebels 8-5 before exploding for six runs in the top of the ninth to secure the victory. Freshman left-hander Garrett Luippold (1-0), who pitched the final 2.1 innings, earned the victory, his first as a Don. In his relief outing, Luippold allowed just one unearned run off one hit, and struck out one rebel. USF managed 15 hits on the night, with Railey and Hall each singling three times. Railey also scored a run and batted in two. Bialosky, Lieb, and Lipkin each had two hits on the day. Bernatz, Morgan, and junior Dane Braunecker each had one. Morgan led the way in the RBI department, with a season high five. UNLV took an early 1-0 lead in the second, before the Dons scored four in the fourth. On a two out rally, senior designated hitter Matt Lieb and sophomore catcher Ryan Lipkin singled and advanced an extra base on a wild pitch. Sophomore center fielder Bobby Ethel walked and senior pinch hitter Kyle Morgan blasted his first career grand slam as a Don. The lead would be short lived as UNLV scored one in the bottom of the frame and two in the fifth to make it 4-4.

SCOUTING REPORT - WEEK 4

GAME #14 - CAL BEARS (9-1-1)

SCOUTING CAL: After finishing the 2007 season 29-26 and 12-12 in the Pac-10, the Bears are itching to get back into the post-season while competing in arguably the best baseball conference in the nation. Junior right-hander Tyson Ross (2007 Pac-10 First Team and Rawlings Gold Glove winner; 2008 Pre-season All-American and Wallace Award Watch List) and junior first baseman David Cooper (2007 Pac-10 First Team; 2008 Wallace Award Watch List) return to lead Cal. Ross is currently 1-0, 1.80 ERA with seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Cooper is batting .390 (16-41) with three doubles, a team leading six homeruns and 19 RBI in 11 games. David Esquer is in his ninth season as the skipper for the Bears, and has amassed a career record of 239-216-1.

TEAM COMPARISONS - 2008 SEASON STATS
Team	W-L	BA	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	BB 	ERA
        SO	OBA
USF 	6-7	.254 	72 	115 	6	65 	51	 	5.24 	79 	.304
CAL	9-1-1	.324	89	122	14	82	58		2.85	99	.201

LAST MEETINGS: USF 15, at Cal 6 (2/13/07); at USF 13, Cal 4 (5/1/07)

GAME #15 - PACIFIC TIGERS (2-10)

SCOUTING PACIFIC: Pacific finished 2007 with a 16-43 overall record, and were 3-18 in the Big West Conference. On the leaderboard for the Tigers is freshman outfielder Nick Longmire (.419/13-31, two doubles, three triples, four RBI and three runs scored) and junior right-handed reliever Mark McCain (0-0, 0.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts and only two walks in 11.2 innings). Head Coach Ed Sprague is in his fifth year at the helm for the Tigers. Sprague has a 98-140 career record in Stockton.

TEAM COMPARISONS - 2008 SEASON STATS
Team	W-L	BA	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	BB 	ERA 	SO      OBA
USF 	6-7	.254 	72 	115 	6	65 	51	5.24 	79 	.304
PAC	2-10	.269	62	115	3	61	38	7.26    	74	.333

LAST MEETINGS: at Pacific 6, USF 5 (3/4/07); Pacific 7, at USF 2 (5/8/07)

GAME #16-18 - HOUSTON COUGARS (8-2)

SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON: With an award-winning group of veterans and one of the most talented signing classes in school history, the University of Houston baseball team is looking to return to the NCAA postseason in 2008. A year after finishing fourth (28-28, 12-12) in a competitive Conference USA, the Cougars are counting on 16 letterwinners - including six starters - and 16 newcomers. Senior outfielder Jake Stewart (.438/21-38, six doubles, two homeruns, 13 RBI, 13 runs scored) and sophomore left-hander Wes Musick (3-0, 1.25 ERA with 18-4 strikeout-walk ratio in 21.2 innings) lead the Cougars on the field. Head Coach Rayner Noble is in his 14th season as General of the Cougars, and has a 465-335 career record at Houston.

TEAM COMPARISONS - 2008 SEASON STATS
Team	W-L	BA	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	BB 	ERA 	   SO	   OBA
USF 	6-7	.254 	72 	115 	6	65 	51  	5.24 	79 	.304
HOU	8-5	.302	90	133	11	84	62	4.90	100	.263

LAST MEETINGS: This is the first meeting between these two teams.

WHO'S HOT FOR THE DONS: Senior Joey Railey led all Dons last week, batting .435 (10-23) with a double, four RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base... Sophomore Ryan Lipkin smacked seven hits (.412) including two doubles with two RBI and five runs scored... Freshman Connor Bernatz hit .350 (7-20) with a double, a homerun, six RBI and three runs scored... Senior Mitchell Bialosky also batted .350 (7-20) with a double, a homerun, five RBI and two runs scored... Senior Kyle Morgan blasted his first career Grand Slam as a Don in Sunday's win over UNLV...on the mound, Sophomore Alex Kalogrides went 2-0 in 4.2 relief innings with a 3.86 ERA, and three strikeouts... Freshman Garrett Luippold went 1-0 with a save in 4.1 relief innings with a 0.00 ERA, four strikeouts and a .067 opponents batting average.

DONS IN WCC CHARTS: (As of March 11, 2008) Five Dons hold top ten rankings the West Coast Conference in seven categories. Senior Matt Baugh is tied for 1st in complete games (1) and second in innings pitched (23.0). Freshman Matt Lujan is 4th in ERA (2.51) and 9th in opponents batting average (.240). Freshman Garrett Luippold is 3rd in appearances with seven. Senior Tavo Hall has four stolen bases, good enough for 6th place. Rounding out for the Dons is senior Kyle Morgan, who has eight walks, good enough for 6th in the WCC.