Feb. 27, 1998

LOS ANGELES - With another outstanding performance on the mound, senior RHP Seth Etherton improved to 5-0 in five starts this season and led the No. 2 USC baseball team to a 6-1 victory over crosstown rival UCLA in a Pacific-10 Conference game on Friday night at Dedeaux Field in front of 1,360. USC improved to 12-3 overall and 3-1 in the conference, while UCLA fell to 7-9, 2-4.

Etherton went 8 2/3 innings, giving up five hits, two walks and one run while striking out 10. He retired the first 13 batters of the game and struck out five of the first six. Etherton lowered his ERA to 1.16 for the season and he has won his last 10 starts dating back to 1997. Senior RHP Mike Weibling struck out the final batter of the game.

USC scored four times in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, sophomore SS Kevin Schultz beat out an infield single and advanced to third on a hit-and-run single to right by junior CF Greg Hanoian. Another hit-and-run single by senior 2B Wes Rachels scored Schultz and advanced Hanoian to third.

Hanoian scored on a fielder's choice by junior 1B Robb Gorr, which forced Rachels at second. After sophomore C Eric Munson walked, senior 3B Morgan Ensberg doubled to drive in the remaining two runs.

In the fifth inning, USC scored twice. With two outs, Ensberg singled to right and stole second base and senior LF Jeremy Freitas walked. On a wild pitch by Bruin freshman RHP Paul Diaz, Ensberg scored from second base and Freitas advanced to third. A single up the middle by junior DH Jason Lane then plated Freitas.

The Bruins scored in the top of the ninth when freshman 3B Garrett Atkins had a one-out single, freshman SS Chase Utley doubled to right field and senior 1B Cassidy Olson grounded out to score Atkins.

Senior RHP John Phillips (0-1) took the loss for UCLA.

UCLA    000-000-001 - 1-5-1
USC     004-020-00x - 6-9-1

Phillips, Diaz (5) and Cloud.
Etherton, Weibling (9) and Munson.

WP -- Etherton (5-0)    LP -- Phillips (0-1)