USC Sweeps FIU

Sophomore Hector Rabago (Riverside/Poly HS), filling in for injured shortstop Grant Green, went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a triple Saturday as the USC Trojans defeated the Florida International Golden Panthers, 9-3. USC improved to 2-0 on the season after hitting four solo home runs in the game for a total of seven in two games after the Trojans hit just 25 home runs all of last season.

Green's streak of 57 games as the Trojans' starting shortstop was snapped after a strained back muscle knocked him out of last night's game and is day-to-day.

Junior right-hander Ryan Cook (Clovis/Clovis HS) threw six solid innings, allowing only three runs (two earned) on eight hits in his first start of the season. Anthony Vasquez, Kevin Couture and Robert Stock combined with three scoreless innings to close out the game.

Junior center fielder Nick Buss (Clinton Township, Mich./San Diego Mesa CC) hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run eighth inning as the USC Trojans rallied from a four-run deficit to earn the series sweep against the Florida International Golden Panthers with the 12-7 win on Sunday. USC completed its first three-game sweep since last season's sweep at Georgia (March 2-4).

Freshman right-hander Chris McCaffery (Hillsborough/St. Ignatius HS) came out of the bullpen and threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings in his collegiate debut to earn the win for the Trojans.

Buss finished with a 2-for-6 day with four RBI and an 8-for-15 performance (.533) on the weekend with two home runs and seven RBI. Senior designated hitter Mike Roskopf (Prescott, Ariz./North Carolina State) went 3-for-5 with a two-run single and two doubles while senior first baseman Derek Perren (Chatsworth/L.A. Pierce College) was 2-for-5 with two RBI.