USC sweeps Minnesota for seventh straight series win

MINNEAPOLIS – USC secured a 3-2 comeback win on the road and swept their three-game series against the University of Minnesota Sunday afternoon.

The Trojans have now won seven straight series, which marks the first time the program has won seven series in a row since 2001. They have also won their sixth straight game. 

The Trojan offense had a cold afternoon heading into the final inning, combining for five total hits and only scoring one run in the sixth. However, they rallied in the ninth, stringing together a beautiful team effort — including a pair of clutch pinch hits — to complete the sweep. 

Andrew Lamb sparked the rally for the Trojans with a lead-off single in the ninth. Augie Lopez then came off the bench as a pinch hitter and delivered a one-out single, advancing Lamb to third. Zach Schwartzberg entered as a pinch runner for Lopez, then Kade Higgins, who was also pinch-hitting, followed up with his own clutch single that scored Lamb to tie the game at two. Leadoff hitter Brayden Dowd kept the momentum going, beating out an infield single to load the bases. Ethan Hedges, the team's RBI leader, came through once again, driving in the eventual game-winning run with a groundout. 

USC right-hander Brodie Purcell, who had been brought into the game in the sixth, would come in and shut the door on the Golden Gophers in the bottom of the ninth to complete the comeback win. Purcell earned the victory after tossing 3.1 scoreless innings and striking out four in what was a bullpen game for USC.  

Although the Trojans made this gritty comeback on Sunday, the series had already been won after a dominant start by right-hander Caden Aoki on Saturday that resulted in a 6-1 victory for USC. The bullpen arms were not needed in this game as Aoki went on to throw a complete game, punching out nine hitters while only giving up two hits and one run. 

It was a great all-around game for the Trojans, as the offense put up 13 hits, including a grand slam by Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek in the fifth. Martin-Grudzielanek also drove in an insurance run in the seventh for good measure. 

With the sweep, USC currently sits in fourth place in the Big Ten standings, holding a 29-14 overall record and a 14-7 record in conference play.

The Trojans will be back home in Great Park next weekend when they take on their crosstown rivals, the UCLA Bruins, who currently sit in second place in the Big Ten standings and are coming off their own series sweep against Penn State. 

Defeating UCLA to extend their series win streak would be quite the achievement for the Trojans and a chance to avenge their 5-1 loss to the Bruins earlier this season on March 2.

Given how both teams are currently performing, next weekend's series is shaping up to be an exciting one.