Stockton, Calif. - 13 hits and six runs were not enough for the Tigers on Friday night as San Francisco (USF) was able to capture game one of the three game series at Klein Family Field, 7-6. Pacific (2-17) fell for the third time by a single run in WCC play the Dons (9-13) remained red-hot, winning their seventh game in their last eight contests to improve to 3-1 in conference action.

On a night in which the bats were in full swing, the Tigers could not muster enough runs to hit their way past the Dons as a handful of defensive miscues helped USF come away with the opening victory. Early on, the game seemed to be going the Tigers way as Pacific was able to score in each of the first four innings to push out front of the visiting Dons. The five runs came on the heels of a pair of two run innings for USF as the Dons held close, using well placed, and timely two-strike hitting. 

Despite the early lead, the Tigers could not hold on as USF came up with a third two-run inning in the top of the sixth as they were able to piece together three hits, and take advantage of a passed ball and a Pacific error in the field to plate their runs. An inning later, the big hit came with two outs in the seventh when Brendan Hendriks lifted a home run down the right field line to put the Dons up two. For Hendriks, the home run would prove to be the game-winning shot as Pacific was able to mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth, scoring one of the two runs needed to prolong the game.

In the ninth, the Tigers used a one-out triple by junior Brett Sullivan to start the rally as he came in to score what would be Pacific's final run of the night on a seeing-eye single through the right-side by junior J.J. Wagner. Fittingly, Pacific's night came to a close on a diving catch in right-center by the Dons' second baseman on a bloop shot that robbed junior Louis Mejia of his third hit of the night while robbing the Tigers of a chance to tie the game. Throughout the night, the Dons seemed to be one-step ahead of the Tigers in the field as they were in the right place at the right time to take away potential hits from Pacific's bats.

In total, six different Tigers recorded two hits in the game with Wagner leading the way with a pair of RBI while Sullivan and junior Gio Brusa each scored a pair of runs. The Dons were led by Connor Hofmann at the leadoff spot as the senior went 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI. As a team, USD matched Pacific in the hit column, recording 13 hits to go with their seven runs.

Anthony Shew (2-3) came up with the win despite giving up 11 hits and five runs to the Tigers as he went 8.1 IP while striking out nine and walking one. In relief, Logan West (2) earned the save after Matt Narahara gave up Pacific's sixth run of the night in relief of Shew. Pacific's Sean Bennetts (0-3) was tagged with the loss as he lasted 5.2 IP with nine hits relinquished and six runs against, five earned. The junior came up with a season best seven strikeouts while walking just one. Senior Michael Hager and sophomore John Jaeger finished off the game for the Tigers.

Pacific will look to even the series at one game a piece on Saturday, March 21, as the two teams meet for game two at Klein Family Field at 2:00 pm.