USC Completes Series Sweep With 9-1 Victory

Saturday, April 11

Los Angeles, Calif.

1:00 PM

University of Oregon

12-20, 2-7

USC

17-14, 7-5

Oregon Ducks

USC

Photo by: Tod Fierner

04/11/09 | Baseball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

LOS ANGELES - Another solid outing from USC's starting pitcher and clutch hitting from its offense led to the Trojans 9-1 victory over Oregon on Saturday afternoon at Dedeaux Field.

With the win the Trojans (17-14, 7-5) complete the series sweep of the Ducks (12-20, 2-7), the first time Oregon has been swept in a weekend series this season.

USC is now on a six-game winning streak, while the Ducks have dropped their last five. The Trojans tallied 11 hits on the day, while Oregon was held to five hits, stranding six runners on the bases.

USC starting right-hander Robert Stock (3-1) pitched eight innings of one-run (unearned) baseball in the win, dealing 11 strikeouts and holding Oregon to five hits.

Oregon freshman right-hander Alex Keudell (0-2) took the loss. The Portland native spent six innings on the mound, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks. Ryan Fleckenstein, Geoff Nichols and Drew Gagnier all appeared in relief.

Mike O'Neill and Grant Green, batting second and third in the USC lineup respectively, led the Trojans at the plate. O'Neill was 2-for-3 on the day with three RBI and two runs scored, while Green was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Alex Sherrod led all batters with three hits in his four at-bats, crossing the plate twice.

The Trojans broke the game's 1-1 tie in the sixth after Joe De Pinto led off the inning with a double down the left field line. A walk issued to O'Neill put two runners on, and Green's infield single loaded the bases for Ricky Oropesa. The starting first baseman picked up his fifth RBI of the series with a sacrifice fly to left, and an errant throw from the outfield allowed runners to move to third and second. Keudell intentionally walked Anthony Vasquez to load the bases again, and a RBI groundout from Keith Castillo scored O'Neill and put the Trojans ahead 3-1.

In the seventh Billy Pinkerton and Sherrod led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice bunt moved both to second and third, setting up O'Neill's RBI single up the middle. Green then approached the plate a knocked a bases-clearing two-run triple off the wall in right center to give USC a 6-1 advantage. It was Green's 19th triple of his career, tying for seventh all-time in the Pac-10.

USC added thee more runs in the eighth when a wild pitch from Gagnier with the bases loaded allowed Kevin Roundtree to score. Then O'Neill sent a shallow two-run single to center.

KC Serna's RBI single to center field tied the game for the Ducks in the fifth. The Ventura, Calif., native registered his team-leading 14th RBI of the season with a shot that dropped in front of Vasquez, scoring Paul Eshleman from second. The freshman catcher reached base on a two-out error when Green and De Pinto collided while trying to catch an infield fly.

Caleb Tommasini led the Ducks with two hits, while each team tallied two errors apiece.

USC scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the third after back-to-back singles put runners on first and third for De Pinto. The starting second baseman dropped a squeeze bunt in front of the plate allowing Pinkerton to score the game's first run from third.