SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.- The Portland Pilots were dealt their fifth straight loss as the San Francisco Dons swept the three-game West Coast Conference series with a 7-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond. The Dons (12-12, 3-0 WCC) pitching tandem of T.J. Franco and Patrick McGuigan limited Portland (3-16, 0-3 WCC) to just four hits on the afternoon.

Franco (3-2) went 6.1 innings allowing just one unearned run and striking out six Pilot batters. McGuigan gave up one hit and recorded the final eight outs of the game to preserve the win. Portland sophomore starter Trent Kristjanson (0-3) ran into trouble early, allowing four runs in the first before settling down. Kristjanson tossed six innings giving up 11 hits, seven runs (five earned) and ringing up five Dons. Freshman right-hander Given Kutz pitched two scoreless innings out of the Pilot bullpen.

Kristjanson recorded the leadoff out but then surrendered six consecutive base hits as USF grabbed the 4-0 lead in the first. Nick Cirbo tallied his second RBI of the game in the third with a two-out single making it 5-0.

Portland’s only run was unearned as Travis Vetters scored on a bobbled grounder off the bat of Colton Homme with two outs in the fourth. The Dons tacked on two more in the sixth inning after two Pilot errors extended the inning.

Cirbo was one of four Dons with two hits as Armand Gaerlan also scored a pair of runs and drove in two more. Portland junior catcher Joe Watson had two hits in his first outing since suffering a concussion in late February. Vetters and Homme registered the other two Pilot hits.

Portland committed three errors and left six runners on base, while USF had the one error and stranded eight runners.

Portland returns home to Pilot Stadium for a non-conference, two-game series with Utah Valley State on March 23-24. The Pilots return to WCC action on March 26-28 with a three-game series against Pepperdine at Pilot Stadium.