Baseball
    No. 1 Stanford Defeats No. 2 USC Baseball in a Classic
    Austin outduels Etherton, 1-0, in first of three games.
    Seth Etherton took his first loss <br> of the year against Stanford <br> on Friday.
    Seth Etherton took his first loss
    of the year against Stanford
    on Friday.
    April 3, 1998

    LOS ANGELES - In a game destined to go down as a classic, the No. 1 Stanford baseball team edged No. 2 USC, 1-0, in a Pacific-10 Conference Southern Division game on Friday night at Dedeaux Field.

    Jody Gerut's home run was the difference, as the Stanford junior centerfielder hit a solo shot over the right-field wall with one out in the top of the seventh inning.

    The Trojans fell to 27-7 overall and 13-3 in the Six-Pac, while the Cardinal improved to 26-4-1, 11-2.

    Stanford junior RHP Jeff Austin (9-0) and USC senior RHP Seth Etherton (8-1) both were outstanding and pitched complete games. Austin struck out eight and gave up six hits and one walk in the shutout. Etherton struck out a career-high 15 and gave up four hits and no walks.

    Austin was able to get out of trouble each time a Trojan reached base, as USC runners made it into scoring position in five of the nine innings. In the bottom of the ninth, USC sophomore C Eric Munson began the inning by doubling to the left-center field wall. Freshman Rod Perry Jr. went in as a pinch-runner, and he moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by senior 3B Morgan Ensberg. Austin then struck out the next batter and got the final hitter to fly out.

    It was Etherton's first loss since April 5, 1997 (also against Stanford at Dedeaux Field), ending a streak of 13 wins without a loss.

    USC continues its three-game series with Stanford with games on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

    STAN 000-000-100 - 1-4-0

    USC 000-000-000 - 0-6-1

    Austin and Salter. Etherton and Munson.

    WP -- Austin (9-0) LP -- Etherton (8-1)

    HR: STAN -- Gerut (12).