Baseball
    Bulldog Offense Too Much for USC to Handle, Fall 14-3 in the Series' Rubber Match
    Trojans drop the series at Fresno State, 2-1.

    March 3, 2013

    Final Stats

    FRESNO, Calif. - Despite having 10 hits of their own, the Fresno State offense proved to be too much for USC to handle in the rubber match of the series, as the Trojans fell 14-3 on Sunday afternoon at Beiden Field.

    The Bulldogs put together 12 hits, seven of those for extra bases, as they got to Trojan starter Kyle Twomey (Placentia, Calif./El Dorado HS) in the first inning, chasing him and scoring five runs in the bottom of the first to put the Trojans on their heels from the get go.

    Bulldog right fielder Aaron Judge led the team with a 4-for-6 day and four RBIs, as he was a home run short of the cycle.

    For the second-straight game, the Trojans were unable to string together their hits in a timely fashion to score runs. They stranded 12 total base runners in the game. In the top of the first, the Trojans had the chance put the Bulldogs down early, as leadoff hitter Garrett Stubbs (Del Mar, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) laced a double through the right side. With one out, Stubbs was on second and James Roberts (Cupertino, Calif./Archbishop Mitty HS) was on first after being hit by the pitch from Bulldog starter Tim Borst. However, a base running error and a line out ended the inning without the Trojans plating a run.

    The Trojans were unable to keep the Bulldogs run less through the next two innings, as they plated one run in the bottom of the second and three more in the third to add to their lead, 8-0. They added six more in the bottom of the fifth to score 14 unanswered runs.

    The Trojans finally got on the board in the top of the sixth, as Andre Ramirez (Bakersfield, Calif./Bakersfield Christian HS) led off the inning with a single, and Jake Hernandez (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos HS) doubled to put runners on first and second for Kevin Swick (La Canada, Calif./Loyola HS) to single in a run. Conner Sullivan (Orange, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS) added his first career RBI with a single to right field and Blake Lacey (Clovis, Calif./Clovis HS) plated the third run of the game for USC, 14-3.

     

     

    A bright spot for the Trojans was reliever Brooks Kriske (Palm Desert, Calif./Palm Desert HS). Kriske threw the final three innings in relief, holding the Bulldogs hitless while striking out two.

    The Trojans will return home to face a one-loss Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, March 6 at 6 p.m.