Bears Light Up Scoreboard Against Dons

SAN FRANCISCO – The California baseball team scored early and often with plenty of fireworks in an 11-3 win over host San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon at Benedetti Diamond.  
 
The Golden Bears (13-5) added three more home runs to the team tally, giving them 31 for the year. Max Handron got the bash party started with a solo home run that opened the game's scoring in the top of the second off USF starter Matt McConnell (1-1). Nico Button and Matthew Thomas also hit home runs. Button's home run was the first of his career. Cal's lineup showed excellent discipline at the plate, drawing a season-high 12 walks.

 
Andres Galan (1-1) earned the win for the Bears, throwing four complete frames while allowing one hit and a run along with a pair of walks and three strikeouts in the start. He retired the last seven batters he faced. Seven relief pitchers finished the game for the Bears, with no one pitching more than an inning. The final Cal six pitchers held USF (13-8) without a run over the final four innings.
 
Following Handron's long ball, the Dons pulled even in the home half thanks to a defensive miscue by Cal that allowed a runner to score, unearned, from third base.
 
Cal took the lead for good in the top of the third. Rodney Green Jr. led off the inning by drawing a walk and on a hit-and-run, he rounded second and alertly took third with ease when no one covered the base. Green then came around to score on the productive out from Peyton Schulze, who was productive with a 1-for-4 effort that included a double and three runs batted in.

 
Button's big day began in the fourth inning with an RBI single up the middle that scored Carson Crawford from third. Button finished the day going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI, while also drawing three walks. His home run in the seventh made it a five-run game.

Thomas put the game away in the eighth, smashing a ball over the left-field fence for his second home run of the season.

 
McConnell took the loss for the Dons, allowing a pair of hits and a run in two innings. JT Amaral homered and went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead USF's offense.
 
The Bears return to Stu Gordon Stadium for four games, starting with a three-game series against Pac-12 foe Utah this weekend. Friday's series-opening contest against the Utes begins at 6:05 p.m.