PORTLAND, Ore. (April 8) -- Sophomore outfielder Jason Howard's three-run homer in the sixth inning was enough as the University of San Francisco downed Portland by a final score of 4-3 in West Coast Conference baseball action Saturday at Pilot Stadium. The Dons (21-14; 7-7 WCC) got effective pitching once again as senior starter John Herbert (3-1) scattered seven hits through 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) as USF downed the Pilots (16-14, 5-8 WCC) for the second time in two days.

Once Herbert left the game, it just got worse for Portland as the Pilots enjoyed no success against senior closer Jeff Bowman, who collected his fifth save of the season by pitching a dominating 2 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. Bowman did not allow a hit and struck out five Pilots.

Portland starter Noel Clark had a 3-0 lead and was working on a two-hit shutout entering the sixth, but after getting the first out, he surrendered four straight hits, capped by Howard's three-run blast to the left-center field gap.

Taggert Bozied singled in Dustin Delucchi, who had doubled with one out, and Danny Trumble doubled before Howard's homer. San Francisco collected five of their eight hits in the sixth inning.

USF attempts to earn their first WCC sweep since 1998 when they face UP in the final game of the three game set Sunday at Pilot Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.