University Southern California Trojans
Baseball Falls at UCSB, 9-8
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
April 20, 1999
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The No. 15 USC baseball team suffered a frustrating one-run loss at UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday afternoon, falling to the Gauchos, 9-8, in a non-conference game.
The Trojans fell to 26-19 overall heading into this weekend's important Pacific-10 Conference series at Arizona State. UCSB improved to 22-18.
The Trojans got off to an excellent start, scoring five runs in the top of the second to take a 5-0 lead. With two outs, senior DH Justin Lehr walked, freshman C Beau Craig singled, sophomore SS Seth Davidson scored a run with a single and senior RF Greg Hanoian slammed a three-run home run. Then senior LF Jason Lane doubled, senior CF Brad Ticehurst walked and senior 2B Dominic Correa drove in the fifth run of the inning with a single.
But USC's pitching faltered in the fourth and fifth innings, as the Gauchos scored four runs in each of the frames to take an 8-5 lead. Starting sophomore RHP Rik Currier gave up the first four runs and lasted just 3 2/3 innings. Junior LHP Steve Smyth (6-7) came on in relief but gave up the next four runs and took the loss.
The Trojans tried to come back, as Lane hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to close the gap to 8-7. But the two teams just ended up trading solo home runs the rest of the way, one by UCSB in the bottom of the seventh and one by Ticehurst in the top of the ninth.
USC freshman RHP Pete Montrenes pitched well in relief, going three innings with one strikeout while giving up one hit, one run and no walks.
USC 050-000-201 --- 8-10-2
UCSB 000-440-10x --- 9-13-1
Currier, Smyth (4), Montrenes (6) and Craig.
Martinez, Wirth (2), Bear (4), Uris (6), Quiroz (8) and Lenzi.
WP - Bear (3-0); LP - Smyth (6-7); SV - Quiroz (10).
HR - USC: Hanoian (7), Lane (13), Ticehurst (8); UCSB: Kemper (1), Von Schell (2).
