After giving up three quick runs in the first inning, No. 20 USC’s perfect start to the season appeared to be in jeopardy. However, the Trojans battled back, scoring four runs in the first three innings, headlined by a leadoff home run from junior infielder Abbrie Covarrubias.
After UC Irvine (8-5) tied the game in the sixth inning, USC (12-0) would come back in a wild fashion to win the Tuesday night game 6-4, bringing the perfect start to the season to 12.
The Anteaters responded in the sixth inning by scoring off a balk, tying the game at four. Still, the Trojans remained relentless. Despite starting the at-bat in a 1-2 count, junior infielder Adrian Lopez worked his way back and earned a walk for USC to open the eighth inning.
“Getting to first base with nobody on, that’s a huge AB right there,” head coach Andy Stankiewicz said in the postgame press conference.
Junior outfielder Kevin Takeuchi followed up with a single, setting pinch-hitter Will Stickney — a freshman center fielder — to bunt runners into scoring position. Stickney executed, leaving sophomore utility man Maximo Martinez with runners on second and third with just one out.
Martinez quickly delivered, scoring Lopez on a fielder’s choice, to break the tie and give USC a one-run lead.
“It wasn’t the prettiest way to score, but it’s a way,” Stankiewicz said. “Sometimes pretty isn’t what’s needed, but it was effective.”
Senior outfielder Jack Basseer added on, driving in Takeuchi on a triple to give the Trojan bullpen a much-needed insurance run to close out a substantial eighth inning.
“I’m just trying to get the job done,” Basseer said after the game. “One extra run there really makes a big difference going into the ninth inning.”
USC is tied with No. 5 Texas (12-0) as the only two undefeated teams remaining in the NCAA.
On Tuesday night, the Trojans tied a season-high with six pitchers toeing the rubber, more than in each of the extra-inning wins over Cal Poly. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Chase Herrell only made it through the first four innings before the USC bullpen relieved Herrell.
The combination of freshman right-handed reliever Cameron Fausset and junior left-handed reliever Sax Matson quieted the Anteater offense in the final three innings, giving up just one hit in that span. Matson also earned his first save of the season after the scheduled rest day for the regular Trojan closer, junior right-handed reliever Adam Troy.
“To have Sax come in and do what he did in that moment, it’s big,” Stankiewicz said. “That’s not his role typically, but tonight it was, and he did a great job.”
The Trojans follow up Tuesday’s game with a special exhibition match against Waseda University from Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan tonight at 6 p.m. Many Trojan players are ecstatic to face one of the most prestigious Japanese universities.
“It’s super exciting and gonna be a lot of fun,” Basseer said about tonight’s game. “A lot of us have never played against people from Japan, so it’s gonna be cool to see their play style.”