SAN FRANCISCO – Saint Mary's Baseball's scored four runs in the ninth to come away with a 4-2 win over the University of San Francisco on Friday in game one of a three-game series. The victory keeps SMC tied with Gonzaga for fourth place in the WCC at 11-8.
 
Connor Linchey again delivered a quality start for the Gaels, allowing just two runs over 6.2 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Ryan Taurek would enter in relief in the seventh, and collected the win with a hitless 2.1 innings, allowing no walks with four strikeouts.
 
SMC had runners at the corners in the top of the third with two out, but Napier was caught stealing second to end the inning. It would be the only time the Gaels had two runners on base until the ninth-inning comeback.
 
Christian Almanza got things started in the ninth with a one-out, infield single that the Dons third baseman had no play on, and didn't attempt to make a throw to first. That was followed by a smash off the bat of Coleman Schmidt that ricocheted off the third baseman for another infield single.
 
After a Nathan Chong walk, USF removed their starter and went to the pen. Blake McDonald hit a grounder towards first, but it was misplayed by the first baseman and the error allowed Almanza to score and make it a 2-1 game.
 
Dalton Mashore then came to the plate, and after swinging over a first-pitch curveball, he would then lay down a perfect squeeze bunt up the first base line to score Schmidt for a 2-2 game.
 
The very next pitch was driven into right center by freshman shortstop Jared Mettam to plate a pair of runs and the Gaels had come back to take the lead at 4-2. Taurek would strike out the side to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth preserve the win.
 
UP NEXT
Game two against the Dons is set for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday in San Francisco.