USF Falls to San Diego 9-8

April 30, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO - The USF baseball team dropped game one of a crucial West Coast Conference series 9-8 Friday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond. USF (21-25, 8-11 WCC) pounded out 14 hits, but San Diego (27-19, 13-9 WCC) came back to take the decision after falling behind early.

San Diego scored two in the first inning after Freddy Sandoval hit his seventh home run of the year to give the Toreros the early lead. The Dons came back to tie up the game after seniors Armand Gaerlan and Joe Jacobitz knocked in runs with singles. Gaerlan finished the day with two hits and two RBI. Jacobitz had three hits and two RBI.

In the second inning, USF put together another one of their famous two-out rallies. After a double play erased the first two hitters of the inning, the Dons put together five straight base hits to score five runs and take a 7-2 lead. The key hit was a two-run double off the bat of senior Chris Genung. Genung hit another double in the fourth inning to give him 20 on the season, the most in WCC this season and just two behind the all-time USF record, held by Dustin Delucchi, who hit 22 in 2000. Genung finished the day with three hits and two RBI. Freshman Blake Nelson added an RBI double in the inning.

In the top of the third, USD cut into the Don's lead, with back-to-back RBI singles from Josh Hansen and Randy Curtis. In the fifth inning, the Toreros pushed across four more runs to take an 8-7 lead. Jordan Abruzzo drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single to right field.

USF answered that run in the bottom of the fifth. After a Jacobitz double, sophomore Stefan Gartrell slapped a single to right field. Jacobitz would come home on a fielder's choice.

In the eighth inning with the score tied at 8-8, Joey Prast singled to lead off the inning, was sacrificed to second and stole third in consecutive pitches. After a walk made it first and third with two outs, pitcher Steve Spurgeon's pick off attempted sailed wide and allowed the go-ahead run to score. The 9-8 score would hold up, giving the Toreros the first game of the series.

Aaron Wilson (8-3) pitched seven innings for USD, picking up the win. He gave up eight runs on 13 hits. Nate Boman picked up his fifth save of the season. TJ Franco (5-4) picked up the loss in relief for the Dons.

Game two of this series will be Saturday at Benedetti Diamond. First pitch is called for 1:00 PM.