'Dogs drop heartbreaker at USF

Wednesday, March 9

San Francisco, CA

2 P.M. PT

Fresno State

6-7

San Francisco

10-4

Fresno State

San Francisco

Photo by: Khon Saysamongdy

'Dogs drop heartbreaker at USF

3/9/2022 6:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Travis Blanshan / Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

SAN FRANCISCO - The Diamond 'Dogs suffered a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to the San Francisco Dons on Wednesday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond.

Taking a 9-8 lead into the bottom of the ninth, the Dons used a one-out RBI triple by Gabe Giosso to tie the game and pinch-hitter Zach Freeman delivered the game-winner with a walk-off RBI single to right field to drive home Giosso for the winning run.

Fresno State (6-7) totaled 10 hits in the contest with the first three-hit performance of the year from Andrew Kachel who reached base five times drawing a pair of walks and scored a pair of runs.

Ivan Luna launched his second home run of the season drilling a three-run bomb in the sixth inning and Zach Morgan drove in three RBI and scored a run.

On the mound, the 'Dogs used five total pitchers with Trevor Garcia making his third start of the season tossing two innings before giving way to two-inning stints from Robbie Peters, Alex Kendrick and Cooper Bergman. Tommy Hopfe came on to work the ninth.

How It Happened
The 'Dons got the high-scoring affair started with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second. The 'Dogs quickly answered back with four runs in the third scoring on a two-run RBI double by Morgan, an RBI single by Mason Grotto and a fielding error by USF allowed Payton Allen to reach base and bring home Luna.

San Francisco clawed their way back into the lead with a run in the fourth on an RBI triple and tacked on three more runs in the fifth getting a pair on an RBI double and added an RBI groundout to take a 6-4 lead through five innings.

The Bulldogs regained their offensive punch in the sixth notching an RBI double by Vinny Bologna, a sacrifice fly by Morgan followed by Luna's home run to regain a 9-6 advantage.

USF responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the 'Dogs lead to one and after Bergman kept the Dons off the board in the seventh and eighth, the Dons came through with the winning plays in the ninth to complete the comeback win.

Up next
The Bulldogs stay on the road traveling to New Mexico (4-8, 1-2 MW) to open Mountain West play this weekend.

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