The Trojans have put on an absolute show in the last week of USC sports action, producing highlight after highlight. Here are my top picks.
No. 5: Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek solo homer against Penn State
Kicking off this week’s Trojan Top 5 is redshirt junior infielder Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, who took one deep against Penn State to increase the Trojans’ lead to 7-5. Now, if you are just looking at the box score, it may seem that this play wasn’t very important, with USC dominating the Nittany Lions 11-6 by the end of the game. However, it may have been the play that stopped USC baseball from losing it all. After trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the fourth, Penn State answered with a grand slam that made it a one-run game. It looked like USC was on track to blow its lead. But Martin-Grudzielanek put an end to that distant worry with his homer, which is why he has to end up on the list this week.
No. 4: Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek grand slam
Coming in at the No. 4 spot is Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek once again, except this time he put a little more of a dent into the scoreboard. After falling behind 3-0 against Hawai’i to enter the bottom of the third, the Trojans sent Martin-Grudzielanek up with the bases loaded. The redshirt junior stepped up once again and delivered a grand slam to erase the deficit—just like that. Not only did he earn the Trojans a lead after it seemed like they might trail all game, but he did it with two outs. Had he struck out, USC would have walked away with nothing that inning. However, Martin-Grudzielanek’s heroics were not enough to give USC another notch in the win column, as the Trojans ultimately lost 5-4. It was an amazing highlight that seemed like it would have led to a victory, but unfortunately did not.
No. 3: Trojans take the top three spots in men’s 100m dash
Breaking into the top three this week are actually three Trojans who together captured the top spots in the men’s 100m at the 44 Farms Team Invitational. Junior Max Thomas, junior Garrett Kaalund and sophomore Edward Nketia all ran sub 10.00 seconds to take up all the spots on the podium for USC. Each runner also set a wind-aided PR with their times of 9.92, 9.93 and 9.96, respectively. This was just a complete display of dominance by the Trojans at the meet, something so spectacular that I have to recognize it with a high place on the list.
No. 2: Men’s 4x100m team set a school record
Once again, a group of Trojans has landed on the list, with some familiar names, too. At the 44 Farms Team Invitational, senior Travis Williams, Thomas, Kaalund and Nketia won the men’s 4x100m with not only a school record, but also an NCAA-leading time of 38.41. And if that wasn’t enough record breaking, the group also set meet and facility records. That is just crazy. But the only thing that could arguably top these team accomplishments would be if a single person broke all of those types of records (hint: check out this week’s No. 1).
No. 1: Madison Whyte sets multiple records at 44 Farms Team Invitational
Speaking of record-breaking performances, sophomore Madison Whyte set a new NCAA-leading, outdoor world-leading PR that also broke the meet and facility record in the 200m dash with a time of 22.32. I mean, there is not much one can say about that except, simply, “wow.” At that point, she isn’t competing with the other runners there, but the runners in the record books, which is why Whyte has to hold the honor of being No. 1 this week.
Logan’s Trojan Top 5 comes out every week.