Baseball Travels to the East Bay, Takes on California and Saint Mary's - University of San Francisco Athletics (2024)

Baseball 4/15/2024 8:08:00 PM

BERKELEY/MORAGA, Calif. – The University of San Francisco baseball team (17-19, 1-8 WCC) travels to the East Bay to begin a four-game road trip when it faces off against California (20-14) at 6:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 16 at Evans Diamond and Saint Mary's (21-13, 6-3 WCC) on Friday, Apr. 19 – Sunday, Apr. 21, at Louis Guisto Field.

GAME DETAILS:
Game 37:Tuesday, Apr. 16, 2024
Time:6:05 p.m.
Opponent:California
Site:Evans Diamond
Location:Berkeley, Calif.
Watch:Pac-12 Network
Live Stats:Statbroadcast

SERIES DETAILS:
Game 38:Friday, Apr. 19, 2024
Time:3 p.m.
Opponent:Saint Mary's
Site:Louis Guisto Field
Location:Moraga, Calif.
Watch:ESPN+
Live Stats:SIDEARM

Game 39:Saturday, Apr. 20, 2024
Time:1 p.m.
Opponent:Saint Mary's
Site:Louis Guisto Field
Location:Moraga, Calif.
Watch:ESPN+
Live Stats:SIDEARM

Game 40:Sunday, Apr. 21, 2024
Time:3 p.m.
Opponent:Saint Mary's
Site:Louis Guisto Field
Location:Moraga, Calif.
Watch:ESPN+
Live Stats:SIDEARM

DONS AT A GLANCE:

• San Francisco enters the road trip after hosting Gonzaga in its third WCC last weekend at Benedetti Diamond. Starting pitching highlighted the weekend as Adam Shew, Lance Santerre, and Joe Soberon held the Bulldogs to just six total runs in 17.2 innings.
• Shew was stellar in his short stint to open the series, going 4.1 innings and allowing one run on five hits while striking three batters. Santerre followed with 6.1 innings of dominance, giving up two runs on three hits. Soberon finished the series with a solid seven-inning performance, allowing one run on five hits and recording five strikeouts.
• Michael Campagna posted his team-leading seventh home run of the season in a narrow 2-1 defeat to Gonzaga on Friday, Apr. 12, going yard in the bottom of the ninth inning to cut the deficit in half.
• Leading the team in multiple statistical categories through 36 contests, Kody Watanabe ranks first on the team in batting average (.316), runs scored (23), hits (37), doubles (11), RBI (25), and on-base percentage (.484). Watanabe also leads the team, the WCC, and ranks tied for third in the nation in hit by pitch, totaling 20 in 33 games played.
• TJ Rogers has come alive offensively in the last four games, totaling six hits in his previous 13 at-bats. In the 3-0 loss to Gonzaga in the series finale on Sunday, Apr. 14, Rogers went two-for-four at the plate with two doubles and a walk for his 10th multi-hit game of the campaign.

• As a team, San Francisco ranks seventh in the WCC in batting average (.247) and second in earned-run average (4.57). Defensively, the Dons have accumulated a .976 fielding percentage for third best in the league.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS:

• Currently, on a four-game winning streak, California earned a home win over Saint Mary's on Wednesday, Apr. 10, before sweeping Washington State on the road last weekend.
• The Golden Bears dominated the weekend series, outscoring the Cougars 25-10, including earning a 13-5 victory on Saturday, Apr. 13.
• Led by PJ Moutzouridis, the Golden Bears have four players batting over .300 through 34 games. Moutzouridis ranks first on the team at .359, totaling 47 hits in 131 at-bats while ranking second in hits (47), third in runs scored (29), and tied for third in RBI (26).
• Caleb Lomavita, Cal's best overall hitter, has accumulated a .343 batting average and leads the team in hits (48), home runs (11), RBI (43), and slugging percentage (.636).
• Luke Short has been established as one of the Golden Bears' top pitchers, recording a 3.83 earned-run average in eight appearances on the mound. Short, leading the team with three wins, ranks first with 35 strikeouts, and holds opposing hitters to just a .239 batting average.

SCOUTING THE GAELS:

• One of the top teams in the West Coast Conference, Saint Mary's, is on a two-game winning streak after earning the series win at LMU last weekend. After falling in the series opener, the Gaels held on for an 8-7 win on Saturday, Apr. 13, before dominating the Lions, 13-7, on Sunday.
• The Gaels, currently in third place in the conference standings with a 6-3 record, have earned crucial wins over top teams in the WCC, including series wins over Gonzaga and San Diego.
• Christian Almanza, the reigning WCC Co-Player of the Year, leads the team offensively, recording a .372 batting average with 48 hits in 129 at-bats. The league leader in home runs with 15, Almanza also ranks first in the WCC in RBI (45), slugging percentage (.825), walks (25), and OPS (1.312).
• Overall, Saint Mary's ranks first in batting average (.302), the lone team hitting over. 300 on the season, and fifth in earned-run average (5.40).

SERIES HISTORY:

• Tuesday's matchup marks the 27th meeting between San Francisco and California since the 2006 season. The Golden Bears hold a slight edge over the Dons in the last 18 years, recording 16 wins, including earning an 11-3 win on Tuesday, Mar. 19, at Benedetti Diamond.
• San Francisco has dominated Saint Mary's since 2006, winning 31 of the 53 meetings. The Dons took care of business last season, earning the series win with two straight victories on Saturday, Apr. 28, and Sunday, Apr. 30, 2023, on the Hilltop.

FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the USF baseball program, be sure to follow@SFDonsBaseballon Twitter,@USFDonsBaseballon Instagram and@University.of.San.Francisco.Baseballon Facebook.

MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today!Click here to purchase.

SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge our department sponsor –San Francisco Toyota- for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contactFrank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, atfallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.