Events

    April 11, 1997

    Cal Baseball Defeats No. 12 USC, 3-2

    BERKELEY, Calif. - The University of California baseball team broke a 10-game, Pac-10 Southern Division losing streak by defeating No. 12 USC 3-2 Friday at Evans Diamond. Cal improves to 15-26 overall and 2-17 in league play, while USC goes to 30-14, 11-11 in conference.

    The Bears won their first league game since March 15 (6-4 against Arizona State), behind outstanding pitching from starter Drew Fischer (3-4) and relievers Jon Cuccias and Tyler Walker, plus the hitting of sophomore shortstop Brian Oliver for the 3-2 win.

    Fischer pitcher 6 1/3 innings with seven hits, two runs, only one walk and had five strikeouts. He was relieved in the seventh inning by Cuccias, who was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam by forcing USC's Wes Rachels to hit into an inning-ending double play. Walker got his fourth save of the season when he pitched the ninth inning and got out of a bases-loaded jam by forcing Jeff DePippo to fly out to short center field and Rachels to hit into a game-ending fielder's choice.

    Oliver was the Bears leading hitter, going 2-for-3.

    Cal scored all of its runs in the second inning off of USC starter Randy Flores (7-5), who threw his second complete game of the season (eight inning, eight hits, three runs, four walks, two strikeouts), The Bears Preston Sharp led off the second inning with a double, advanced to third on a single by Jason Hill and scored on an RBI ground out by Jim Schmidt. After Flores walked Juan Hernandez, Curtis Johnson bunted down the first-base line for and infield single and an RBI, scoring Hill. Hernandez then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an Ivan Lewis sacrifice fly.

    USC got back in the game in the fifth inning on a leadoff home run by Eric Munson, a double by Robb Gorr and an RBI single by Rachels.

    Cal will host USC in the second game of the three-game series at Evans Diamond Saturday at 1 p.m.

    California 3, USC 2 

    USC         000 020 000 - 2 8 0
California  030 000 00x - 3 8 0

    WP: Fischer. LP: Flores.