San Francisco baseball hosted the Stags of Fairfield in a double-header today at Benedetti Diamond. The Stags, playing their first games of the 2000 campaign dropped the first game by a final score of 8-3 as USF junior All-American Tag Bozied launched two homeruns and freshman starter Jesse Mena (3-0) pitched a complete game for the Dons. The rust showed for Fairfield especially on their pitching staff which hit eight Dons batters in the two games. USF senior lead-off hitter Tony Hurtado was hit four times and extends his NCAA record to 81 hit-by-pitches in his career.

In game two USF downed Fairfield 4-1 with Chad Soares hitting his second homerun of the season, a solo shot, in the fourth. Freshman Phil Polanco earned his third victory of the year in his first career start. With the pair of victories, the Dons (10-5) now have a five-game winning streak their longest since 1998. The Stags fall to 0-2 on the year.

USF hosts Fairfield in another double-header beginning at 11:00 am at Benedetti Diamond.

USF 8, Fairfield 3 (Game 1) USF tacked on five runs in the fifth inning as junior infielder Tag Bozied launched his second homerun of the game for his 42nd career long ball. Bozied hit a solo shot in the first. The USF offense was in high gear as the Dons collected 12 hits in the seven inning contest with senior outfielder Pat Walsh turning in a 3-4 double and RBI performance and senior outfielder Dustin Delucchi went 2-3 with a double and two RBI. Freshman starter Jesse Mena pitched his first complete game of his career and allowed three runs off seven hits and struck out five Stags. Mena allowed just one walk as he picked up his team leading third victory of the season.

Box Score

USF 4, Fairfield 1 (Game 2) Freshman starter Phil Polanco pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed just one run off four hits and struck out two to pick up his third victory on the year. Junior infielder Chad Soares launched his second long ball of the season in the fourth and senior outfielder Dustin Delucchi and Tag Bozied (double) each went 2-4 with an RBI. Senior closer Jeff Bowman pitched the ninth and picked up his second save of the year.

Box Score