Trojans lose series to UCLA after walk-off win in opener

The Crosstown Showdowns between USC and UCLA have featured no shortage of drama this year, no matter the sport. After USC’s thrilling 5-4 walk-off win on Friday night, the Trojans now have last-minute victories over the rival Bruins in football, men’s basketball and baseball.

No. 10 UCLA got its revenge on Saturday with a 6-3 win, and then coasted to a 13-1 victory to finish off the three-game series.

The Trojans got out to a slow start on Friday, as UCLA senior right-handed starter Zach Pettway dominated over seven innings. Pettway allowed just three hits; his only mistake was an RBI double to redshirt junior third baseman Ben Ramirez in the second inning.

The Bruins’ offense was much more consistent, drawing five walks to go along with 10 hits against USC redshirts junior Isaac Esqueda and sophomore Garrett Clarke. Redshirt sophomore first baseman JT Schwartz picked up an RBI in both the fifth and seventh innings, helping UCLA build a 4-1 lead.

The USC offense finally picked up some steam once Pettway exited after the seventh inning, but junior reliever Sean Mullen left the bases loaded to keep UCLA’s lead at three heading into the final frame.

That’s when things took a turn for the better for the Trojans.

USC continued to put on pressure in the ninth, again loading the bases with two outs against Mullen. The Trojans were down to their last strike twice: redshirt senior shortstop Tyler Pritchard drew a full count walk to make it a 4-2 game before redshirt junior right fielder Jamal O’Guinn singled to left field on another 3-2 count to tie the game.

“When you have your guy up when it matters, you know he’s going to take a good at bat,” USC head coach Jason Gill said of O’Guinn. “That’s what he has been doing for a while. Ever since we moved him into the leadoff spot, he’s really taken to that position.”

After a pitching change, redshirt freshman center fielder Rhylan Thomas hit a seemingly routine ground ball to the left side. UCLA junior shortstop Matt McLain fielded it cleanly, but his throw to first was high, allowing Thomas to reach and Pritchard to score the winning run to conclude a dramatic ninth inning comeback for USC.

Ironically, when these two teams first played in a non-conference game on March 7, defense was the primary issue for the Trojans, who committed four errors as UCLA cruised to a 10-1 win.

“Our shortstop [Pritchard] got healthy … and ever since he got back our defense has really shored up,” Gill said after USC committed just one error all weekend.

Saturday’s contest started out similarly, as UCLA’s explosive offense remained effective against Trojan redshirt sophomore right-hander Chandler Champlain. Sophomore designated hitter Josh Hahn and redshirt junior center fielder Kevin Kendall led the way for the Bruins with a combined five RBIs, including a two-run triple from Hahn over Thomas’ head in center field.

O’Guinn had another great plate appearance in the fifth, drawing a bases-loaded walk that forced UCLA junior right-handed starter Jesse Bergin out of the game.

“I think we’re much more confident than we were two weeks ago, and I think we have a ways to go still,” Gill said of his team’s confidence at the plate. “We started competing in the batter’s box a little bit better … Now we’ve got to take the next step and really start to free up our swings so we can drive the baseball a bit better.”

Still, USC couldn’t match the Bruins’ excellent hitting with runners in scoring position. The Trojans scored once more to make it 5-3, but it came on a double play by redshirt senior first baseman John Thomas that effectively ended a potential eighth-inning rally.

USC was unable to match Friday’s finish, falling 6-3 as UCLA tied up the series.

The Bruins opened up another early lead in Sunday’s rubber match, thanks to a second inning two-run home run by senior designated hitter Pat Caulfield off of USC redshirt sophomore starter Alex Cornwell. Back in these teams’ first matchup of the season, Caulfield had a stellar 2-for-3, four-RBI performance against Cornwell, and the Bruin was able to keep it going from the start against the Trojan lefty.

The Trojans immediately answered in the bottom of the frame via an RBI triple by Ramirez, but they struggled to create offense throughout the rest of the game.

UCLA extended its lead to 4-1 with consecutive sacrifice flies from junior second baseman Mikey Perez and Caulfield, who has now gone 5-for-8 with seven RBIs and three runs in three games against USC. Cornwell failed to find a consistent rhythm and was pulled early in the fifth. His replacement, redshirt freshman Ethan Hoopingarner, failed to limit the damage, surrendering Cornwell’s inherited runs plus three more to break the game open in favor of the Bruins.

“When you face guys like that, sometimes they get you and sometimes you get them,” Gill said of his team’s pitching. “They had a really good plan against [Cornwell].”

USC pitchers lacked command of the strike zone all game, allowing plenty of free bases in the form of nine walks, three wild pitches and a hit batsman. The UCLA offense capitalized off of many USC mistakes inside the zone as well, with 13 runs on 12 hits, including another home run off the bat of freshman center fielder JonJon Vaughns.

The Bruins’ pitching staff, meanwhile, was dealing all day long, allowing just one baserunner after the Trojans scored in the second inning. Mullen got some redemption after a bad outing Friday, striking out the side in a perfect ninth to cap off an easy 13-1 UCLA victory and take the series win.

USC finishes the series with a 10-9 record, and it will travel to take on Loyola Marymount on Tuesday at 6 p.m.