Box Score

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. --- The Portland Pilots scored a run in the top of the ninth inning and had the potential game-tying run on base, but the San Francisco Dons would escape with a 2-1 win in a West Coast Conference baseball game played at Benedetti Diamond on Friday afternoon. The loss drops Portland’s overall record to 7-14, while the Pilots open WCC play at 0-1.
 
San Francisco improves to 10-11 and to 2-2 in the WCC.
 
With no outs and the Pilots trailing 2-0 in the top of the final frame, Beau Fraser led off with a single. Chet Thompson pinch ran for Fraser and would eventually come all the way around to score on a two-out single by Brian Fratalli, which made it a 2-1 game.
 
But USF’s Adam Cimber would then end the game by striking out Ben Grubb for his fourth save of the year.
 
San Francisco starter Abe Bobb (1-4) earns his first win of the season after working 7.2 innings. He allowed just five hits and only one walk, while striking out six. Reliever Sheldon Lee recorded the final out of the eighth inning before giving way to Climber to begin the ninth.
 
Portland starter Travis Radke (2-3) takes the loss after allowing one run on seven hits in 6.0 innings. The sophomore lefty fanned seven and walked two. Jeremy Burright was charged with a run in two-thirds of an inning and Colin Feldtman pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth, striking out all three batters he faced.
 
The Dons out-hit the Pilots 9-7, and Portland had a golden opportunity to score in the top of the first inning. But the Pilots had two runners thrown out at the plate, allowing the Dons to escape and keep the game scoreless.
 
Kyle Anderson scored San Francisco’s first run in the fifth inning after leading off with a double, and Jason Mahood knocked in a run with a base hit in the seventh,
 
Game two of this three-game conference series is set for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and will take place at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.