April 17, 2003

Box Score

(San Francisco) - USF rallied from an early 6-0 deficit, but could not come all the way back against Pepperdine, falling 8-5 to the Waves in West Coast Conference baseball action Thursday at Benedetti Diamond. With the loss San Francisco (16-22, 9-10 WCC) snaps a three-game winning streak, while Pepperdine (24-15, 13-3 WCC) wins their 10th game in 11 outings.

It was all Waves early as they posted a run in the second and added four in the third as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. In the bottom half, junior infielder Armand Gaerlan powered his sixth homerun of the season to deep left to get the Dons on the board.

Pepperdine scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to increase their lead to 8-1, but San Francisco did not go quietly. The Dons plated three in the bottom to halve the Waves' edge 8-4. Freshman infielder Jonnie Knoble reached base on a wild pitch after striking out and advanced to second on a single by senior outfielder Jason Howard. Then junior outfielder Joe Jacobitz slapped a RBI single to right to score Knoble, advancing Howard to third. A groundout by senior designated hitter Ryan Sittauer scored Howard, while sophomore infielder Royce Fukuroku's RBI single drove in Jacobitz.

USF relief pitching core posted three scoreless innings, giving the offense a chance to respond. Freshman right-handed reliever Pat McGuigan pitched well, allowing no runs and just one hit in 3.0 innings to go along with two strikeouts.

San Francisco added another run in the ninth. Fukuroku and freshman pinch-hitter Andrew Smith were each hit by pitches to give the Dons two on with nobody out. Sophomore infielder Cy Donald slammed an RBI single to left. San Francisco would leave a pair of runners on base as sophomore right-handed reliever came in to collect his second save opportunity, striking out the next two USF batters.

Senior right-hander Kevin Annis (3-3) suffered the loss for the Dons, allowing seven runs off eight hits. Junior right-handed starter Greg Ramirez (5-2) earned the victory for Pepperdine, allowing four runs off six hits and added a career-high 13 strikeouts, seven of them looking on a seemingly migratory strike zone as interpreted by the home plate umpire.

Fukuroku was the only USF Don to collect two hits, finishing 2-for-2 with a double and was hit twice. Freshman infielder David Uribes and junior outfielder Corey Brightwell each collected three base hits for the Waves.

USF hosts Pepperdine in game two of the WCC set Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Benedetti Diamond.