Feb. 2, 1997

USC Defeats Arizona State 9-6

LOS ANGELES - Senior righthander Scott Henderson (2-0) went six innings to pick up his second win of the year and sophomore Robb Gorr was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs to lead No. 3 USC to a 9-6 victory over seventh-ranked Arizona State Sunday at Dedeaux Field.

The Trojans improve their record to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Pac-10 Southern Division play. The Sun Devils drop to 3-3 and 1-2 in the Pac-10.

Henderson allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three. Junior righthander Ben Byrd (1-1) started and lasted just four innings, taking the loss for ASU.

First-inning solo home runs by Dan McKinley for the Sun Devils and Marc Mirizzi for USC knotted the score at one until the Trojans erupted for four runs in the fourth inning.

With one out, USC got three consecutive singles by Eric Munson, Morgan Ensberg and Gorr (who drove in a run). Jeremy Freitas then walked and Ensberg scored on a ground-out to third base by Brian Ponchak. A single by Brad Ticehurst then accounted for two more runs.

Trailing 7-2, the Sun Devils rallied in the seventh, getting a leadoff homerun by Jeff Cermak (2) and then scoring two unearned runs as the Trojans committed three errors on two consecutive plays to cut Troy's lead to 7-5. A solo home run in the eigth by Andrew Beinbrink cut the lead to 7-6.

USC added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, getting a one-out homer by Gorr and a two-out bases loaded walk.

Junior righthander Jack Krawczyk pitched the ninth inning to record his first save of the year.

Arizona State      100  001  310  -  6 11 0
USC                100  411  02-  -  9 11 5
ASU: Byrd (4), Marietta (4), Cermak (6), Bane (8), Vasquez
(8) and Gosewisch. USC:  Henderson (6), Weibling (7),
Sanchez (8), Saenz (8), Krawczyk (9) and Munson. WP -
Henderson (2-0). LP - Byrd (1-1). HR - McKinley 1 (ASU),
Beinbrink 1 (ASU), Cermak 2 (ASU), Mirizzi 1 (USC), Gorr 1
(USC). Notable: Gorr 3-for-4, 3 RBIs.