A night of fireworks in Scottsdale
The San Francisco Dons, seeded third, pulled off a 10‑6 victory over second‑seeded Pacific in the semifinals of the 2026 West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament on Tuesday night.
From the outset, Pacific struck first, plating two runs in the top of the first inning, but the Dons answered swiftly, tying the game with a pair of runs in the second and a third‑inning single that put them ahead.
Key contributions came from junior outfielder Jayden Garrison, who doubled home Edison Esquivel and Zack Ramppen in the second, and later added a solo homer in the sixth to extend the lead.
The decisive blow arrived in the fourth when sophomore TJ Rogers launched a three‑run homer, giving San Francisco a lead that would hold for the remainder of the game.
Pacific tried to rally, with Braeden Schnabel’s two‑run triple in the bottom of the third narrowing the gap, but the Dons’ pitching staff, anchored by Isaiah Landry’s four‑hit outing and two RBI in the ninth, kept the pressure at bay.
Landry’s performance underscored a night in which San Francisco recorded a season‑high four hits, while Pacific’s offense sputtered after the early surge.
With the win, the Dons secure a spot in the championship game against fifth‑seeded Saint Mary’s, a matchup that will require two victories to claim the tournament title — the first such opportunity for the program since 2013.
Coach Dave Nakama’s club now turns its focus to the final, knowing that a second win will cement a historic run and likely earn them an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals.
Looking ahead to the championship
The championship game is scheduled for later this week in Scottsdale, where the Dons will meet a Saint Mary’s team that has similarly ridden a wave of late‑season momentum.
Fans and alumni alike are expected to travel in record numbers, hoping to witness the Dons break a 13‑year title drought and secure a place in the national conversation.