SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.- The Portland Pilots fell to the San Francisco Dons by a 9-3 margin in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools Friday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond. Portland (3-14) had many opportunities but left seven runners on base and hit into three double plays, while San Francisco (10-12) capitalized by crossing four runs in both the second and sixth innings.
Portland went up 1-0 in the first with a leadoff walk by Gustaf Little and Travis Vetters’ RBI triple, but the Pilots could have had more with runners at the corners and just one out. USF starter Kevin Rose controlled the damage with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.
The Dons spotted four runs in the bottom of the second as Blake Nelson started a one-out rally with a single and stolen base. Nick Cirbo followed with a single and Nelson scored on Matthew Peters’ balk. Peters forced a flyout for the second out of the frame, but Scott Cousins hit an RBI-double to right and two batters later Cy Donald brought home two more runs with a double to center field.
Little led off the next inning with a double to center but was thrown out attempting to steal third and the Pilots came away with nothing. In the fourth, Portland loaded the bases with one out, but Rose induced an inning-ending double play to the shortstop off the bat of Jesse Rodgers to again avoid a potentially big inning.
After going down in order in the fifth, Mike McRae reached on a hit by pitch but was doubled off first on a hard line drive by Jeffrey Crinklaw to third base. USF capitalized on a Pilot error in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending the lead to 8-1 with four more runs. Nelson reached first on Travis Vetters’ 10th error of the season, then Cirbo moved to first on a fielder’s choice on the next play. Cirbo would score on Cousins’ single and the Dons would score three unearned runs after the Peters struck out Craig Click for what would have been the third out of the inning. Andrew Smith brought home two of the runs with a single to center field.
Portland would get two back in the seventh on Billy Krause’s double and a Nik Kosach single. The Dons tacked on one more on Cirbo’s seventh inning homer for the 9-3 final.
The Dons scored their nine runs on 11 hits and committed one error. Portland had seven hits and the one costly error, while leaving seven runners on base, hitting into three double plays and having two runners caught stealing.
Peters (1-3) went 5.2 innings allowing eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits and striking out five. Rose (3-2) tossed six innings and gave up just one run on four hits and rang up six Pilot batters. Vetters and Krause each had two hits and an RBI for Portland. Cousins was a perfect 3-for-3 on the day with two runs and a pair of RBI, while Donald also had three knocks and drove in three for USF.
Portland and San Francisco meet again tomorrow, Mar. 20 at 1:00 p.m. and conclude the three-game series on Sun., Mar. 21 at 1:00 p.m., both games are to be played at Benedetti Diamond.
