USC has statement victory to win series against UCLA

IRVINE, Cali. — USC defeated UCLA 11-5 at Great Park on Sunday, securing its eighth consecutive series win.

This marks the first time the USC baseball team has won eight consecutive series since 1978. After defeating their nationally ranked crosstown rivals, the Trojans have now improved to 32-15 overall with a 16-8 record in conference play. USC also climbed to No. 25 in the latest NCAA Baseball DI rankings, making it team's first appearance on the list this season. UCLA dropped four spots from No. 14 to No. 18.

While the pitching limited the Bruins to only two runs after their first inning, the Trojan offense proved to be pivotal in this game, scoring in each of the final five innings of the game. 

The game got off to a rocky start for the Trojans as Roman Martin hit a three-run home run for UCLA in the top of the first. The score remained the same for the next few innings before the USC offense picked things up in the fourth. Andrew Lamb, who hit a solo shot to put up the first run for USC in Saturday’s victory, struck again—this time with a two-run shot. Jack Besser followed immediately with a solo home run to tie the game at three.

Then in the fifth, the Trojans poured on four more runs, and Lamb was right in the middle of the action again for the Trojans sparking the rally with a two-out RBI double. UCLA then loaded the bases after Bruin right-hander Cal Randall plunked both Besser and Abbrie Covarrubias. Augie Lopez capitalized with a two-out double of his own, clearing the bases and driving in all three. Lopez later put a stamp on his big day with a solo homer in the seventh, totaling him for four RBI in the game. 

USC’s final run came off the bat of their RBI leader, Ethan Hedges, who launched a solo shot in the eighth inning—his 50th RBI of the season.

Despite the quick start for the UCLA offense in the first inning, the pitching for USC quickly weathered the storm. Right-hander Andrew Johnson, who came in relief in the first for starter Mason Edwards after just five batters, earned the win on Sunday after he threw 6.1 innings where he did not allow an earned run, struck out five, and did not give up a walk. 

This outing marked the second time Johnson was brilliant out of the pen. Last week on Friday in Minnesota, when he came into relief for Caden Hunter, he threw  6.1 scoreless innings and struck out four. In fact, he hasn’t given up any earned runs in his last 14.2 innings while striking out 14 batters and giving up only one walk. 

USC Right-hander Grant Govel then shut the door on the Bruins, throwing a scoreless eighth and ninth innings while racking up four strikeouts. 

The Trojans continue to roll and now go on the road to play against UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday, followed by their final home series of the season against Michigan State next weekend.

Now with a ranking next to their name and having defeated a very talented UCLA baseball team, we will see if USC continues to play to the standard they have set in recent weeks.