USC baseball broke open a tight game with nine runs across the fifth and sixth innings to defeat the Loyola Marymount Lions 14-4 on Wednesday night at Dedeaux Field.
For the second time in three games, USC won in run-rule, walk-off fashion. After junior outfielder Andrew Lamb’s Valentine’s Day heroics, junior outfielder Kevin Takeuchi delivered a present of his own with a game-sealing sacrifice fly.
USC (4-0) finished with 11 hits, drew six walks and capitalized on two LMU errors. Loyola Marymount (1-3) collected six hits but left eight runners on base and struck out 11 times.
The Lions struck first in the second inning when freshman second baseman Andrew Mhoon singled through the right side to score senior third baseman DJ Ghiorso to grab a 1-0 lead.
The Trojans answered immediately. In the bottom of the second, senior outfielder Jack Basseer launched a two-run homer to left field, driving in Takeuchi and putting USC ahead 2-1. This was Basseer’s second homer in as many games. USC added to its lead in the third when junior third baseman Adrian Lopez doubled to right, plating junior outfielder Isaac Cadena for a 3-1 advantage.
LMU briefly regained control in the fourth. Sophomore catcher Jake Lyall delivered the biggest swing of the night for the Lions, blasting a three-run homer to left to score sophomore outfielder Noah Malone and Mhoon. The shot gave LMU a 4-3 lead.
The Trojans answered the score in the bottom half, when junior second baseman Abbrie Covarrubias singled through the left side to plate junior first baseman Dean Carpentier to tie the score at four.
The tie didn’t last long.
USC erupted in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to take command. Carpentier started the rally with a check swing, producing an unconventional two-run double down the left-field line, scoring Basseer and Takeuchi. Junior catcher Richard Tejeda followed with a two-run single past third base, before being thrown out at second on the play, pushing the lead to 8-4. The Trojans piled on further in the sixth with five more runs, extending the margin to 13-4.
USC tacked on its final run in the seventh when Takeuchi lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Covarrubias.
Basseer finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Covarrubias went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, while Carpentier drove in two runs. Covarrubias has tallied six hits and eight runs to lead the Trojan offense. Takeuchi scored three times and added two stolen bases as USC swiped three bases overall. Takeuchi leads the Trojans in RBI with seven.
On the mound, freshman Paul Grossman earned his first win with two-thirds of an inning of scoreless relief. USC used five pitchers, combining for 11 strikeouts and allowing four earned runs across seven innings. Redshirt sophomore starter Chase Herrell struck out seven over 3.1 innings.
Graduate pitcher Jacob Fried took the loss for LMU after allowing four runs in one inning of relief. The Lions’ pitching staff surrendered 14 runs, 12 earned and issued six walks.
The Trojans will look to continue their strong start Friday in the series opener against Rice.