USC Baseball stays hot in Seattle

Another successful series for USC Baseball (22-6, 4-2) as took won two of three in Seattle over the weekend against Washington (15-12, 2-7).

Friday: The Trojans bats were held in check in the series opener as the Huskies won 5-1 behind six strong innings from starting pitcher Noah Bremer. USC scored first as Bobby Stahel drove in AJ Ramirez on an RBI single in the top of the third. The Huskies would respond in the next half inning when Braden Bishop ripped an RBI double that scored Kyle London. The Huskies would add another run in the fourth inning after a Trojans error. The biggest damage of the game came in the bottom of the sixth when shortstop Chris Baker hit a three-run home run off Trojan pitcher Brent Wheatley. Brandon Choate and Troy Rallings combined for three-shutout innings to seal the victory for the Huskies.

Saturday: What. A. Game. USC’s longest recorded game in school history as the Trojans came out on top, defeating the Huskies 3-2 in 16 innings. It was a pitchers duel as both starters went at least seven shutout innings. USC starting pitcher Kyle Twomey (seven innings, four hits, and four strikeouts) and Washington starter Tyler Davis (8.1 innings, four hits, and six strikeouts) both pitched brilliantly. The game would stay scoreless until the top of the 16^th when the Trojans finally got on the scoreboard. Stahel led off the inning with a single followed by a Garrett Stubbs walk, setting up runners on first and second with no outs for Corey Dempster. The sophomore who had only one hit on the season entering the at-bat, delivered with a single up the middle to give USC a 1-0 lead. The Trojans added two more runs when Timmy Robinson drove in Stubbs and Dempster with a single. The game got interesting again in the bottom of the 16^th after Bishop hit a two-run home run for the Huskies but Alex Chavarria came in for Marc Huberman and picked up his first career save. Hubberman got the win after 6.2 innings in relief.

Sunday: After Saturday’s record-breaking game, what did the Huskies and Trojans have in store on Sunday? The answer: another extra innings game as USC won 4-3 in 10 innings. Washington scored first in the bottom of the first but the Trojans tied up the game at 1 in the fourth after a Robinson RBI single. USC took the lead in the 5^th but the Huskies responded in the next half inning. After a back and forth affair, Stahel picked a great time to hit his first collegiate home run in the top of the 10^th to give the Trojans their 22^nd win on the season.

USC will stay on the road as they travel to Tucson to face the University of Arizona beginning on Thursday.