Baseball
    USC Drops 1-0 Pitchers Duel To North Carolina
    Trojans recieve stellar outing from Ben Mount, not enough for win.
    Ben Mount was impressive in the Trojans 1-0 loss.
    Ben Mount was impressive in the Trojans 1-0 loss.

    March 3, 2012

    Box Score

    Chapel Hill, N.C. -- No. 21 USC fell to No. 6 North Carolina in a 1-0 pitcher's duel at Boshamer Stadium this afternoon that saw the game's only run scored on an RBI single from UNC's Jacob Stallings in the eighth inning. Trojans starter Ben Mount was saddled with the loss despite tossing seven scoreless innings and not allowing a runner to advance past second base.

    UNC starter Chris Munnelly was equally impressive as he pitched seven scoreless frames and allowed just one hit while taking the no decision.

    USC's best scoring opportunity was denied in the in the eighth inning as Stallings play behind the plate kept the Trojans off the board. Sophomore Omar Cotto Lozada opened the inning with a crisp single to center off RC Olan and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. Cotto Lozada took third on a wild pitch from Cody Penny. Penny let another wild pitch slip to the backstop and Cotto Lozada broke for home as Stallings quickly pounced on the ball and fired to Penny who delivered the tag at the plate.

    Adam Landecker and Kevin Roundtree both singled to keep the inning alive and put runners on the corners for the Trojans. Shane Taylor (2-0) picked up the win as he retired Matt Foat on a fly out to center.

    Mount (1-1) returned for the eighth inning and was able to get two outs before walking Tommy Coyle and exiting the game. Coyle advanced to second on a hit off sophomore Bobby Wheatley and then scored the winning run as Stallings singled to right off freshman Wyatt Strahan.

     

     

    Michael Morin notched his second save of the year in the ninth.

    USC faces North Carolina in the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET