May 17, 2008 SENIOR DAY GALLERY

Final Stats

(San Francisco, CA) - San Francisco baseball fought back for three runs in the bottom of the 10th, but couldn't come all the way back and fell 7-6 to Dallas Baptist in non-conference action at Benedetti Diamond on Saturday afternoon. The Patriots (37-17) swept USF (31-26) and end the Dons 2008 season as they said goodbye to seven seniors: Kyle Morgan, Brian Anderson, Matt Lieb, Matt Baugh, Mitchell Bialosky, Joey Railey, and Tavo Hall.

It was a low scoring affair through the first half of the game. DBU scored one in the first on an RBI double by junior third baseman Trevor Head. USF tied it at 1-1 in the second. Senior first baseman Mitchell Bialosky doubled to start the inning and freshman third baseman Stephen Yarrow pushed him to third with a single up the middle. An out later, sophomore catcher Ryan Lipkin sacrificed to right field, scoring Bialosky.

USF took a 3-1 lead in the sixth, when with runners on second and third, senior designated hitter Matt Lieb singled to center, plating both Dons.

Dons starter, freshman left-hander Matt Lujan, threw a solid 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run off three hits, and struck out seven Patriots. Senior right-hander Brian Anderson threw 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up four hits and striking out one.

Bialosky came on to pitch the ninth and ran into some trouble. With a runner on and one out, junior center fielder Evan Bigley hit a bomb over the center field fence, tying the ballgame at 3-3. USF had the bases loaded in the ninth with just one out, but freshman right-handed reliever Jared Stafford was able to get freshman center fielder Bobby Ethel to strike out, and senior right fielder Kyle Morgan to fly out to left.

In the Dons second consecutive extra inning game with Dallas Baptist, the Patriots scored four times in the top of the frame to take a commanding 7-3 lead. But USF fought back in the bottom of the inning, trying to get one last win for the seniors.

Bialosky reached first on a throwing error by Head before Yarrow singled to center and sophomore pinch hitter Sam Wiley singled to left. With the bases loaded, freshman catcher Travis Higgs was hit by a pitch, scoring Bialosky. Sophomore shortstop Derek Poppert then smacked a Texas leaguer into shallow center, scoring Yarrow. An out later, senior second baseman Joey Railey sacrificed to center, plating Wiley. Ethel then laid down a great bunt as Higgs was barreling toward home plate, but Ethel was barely thrown out at first to end the game.

Yarrow and Poppert both had three hits on the day, leading the Dons. Lieb singled and added two RBI in his final game. Also in his final game, Bialosky doubled and scored twice. Morgan singled and scored one run. Sophomore right-hander Alex Kalogrides (3-4) took the loss in relief, allowing one earned run in less than an inning. Freshman right-hander Jonathan Abramson allowed two earned runs off one hit and a walk in a third of an inning. Freshman right-hander Chase Tigert gave up the Patriots final run in the 10th, off one hit, two walks, and struck out one batter.

Stafford (4-0) earned the win for Dallas Baptist, allowing three runs, two earned, off six hits, one walk, and struck out two in 3.0 innings. Freshman right-hander Chris Haney (3) earned the save, not allowing a run in the tenth.

This concludes the 2008 season. Thanks for your support and check back at USFDons.com for all your USF Athletics information.