University Southern California Trojans
Munson's Ninth-Inning Homer Gives Baseball 5-4 Win
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
February 14, 1999
LOS ANGELES - With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, USC junior C Eric Munson blasted a solo home run over the right-field wall, lifting the No. 4 Trojan baseball team to a 5-4 victory over No. 13 Texas Tech on Sunday afternoon at Dedeaux Field.
Munson, Collegiate Baseball's preseason National Player of the Year, also launched a three-run home run in the fifth inning. Through eight games, he is batting .519 (14-for-27) with five home runs and 17 RBI. The Trojans improved to 3-5 overall and took two of three games from the Red Raiders (6-2).
USC senior RHP Justin Lehr was marvelous early and had a no-hitter going through the first six innings. In the meantime, Munson started the scoring with his three-run home run in the fifth inning and junior 1B Carlos Casillas slugged a solo home run in the sixth inning to stake the Trojans to a 4-0 lead.
The Red Raiders finally got to Lehr in the top of the seventh, as junior RF Jon Weber led off the inning with a single, junior C Josh Bard doubled and junior 3B Allen Marshall hit a three-run homer to center field to make it 4-3.
Texas Tech tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the eighth. With two outs and a runner on second base, Lehr gave way to sophomore LHP Steve Smyth, but Weber knocked an RBI single up the middle to tie the game. It stayed that way until the ninth inning and Munson's second home run.
Smyth (1-1) earned the win in relief, while Texas Tech junior RHP Brandon Roberson (1-1) took the loss in relief.
Lehr had three hits for the Trojans, while Munson, Casillas and junior 2B Justin Gemoll each had two hits. Weber had a pair of singles for the Red Raiders. USC had 12 hits to Texas Tech's five.
USC next hosts Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday (Feb. 17) at 7 p.m.
TT 000-000-310 --- 4-5-0
USC 000-031-001 --- 5-12-0
Wright, Roberson (8) and Bard.
Lehr, Smyth (8) and Munson.
WP -- Smyth (1-1) LP -- Roberson (1-1)
HR: USC -- Munson 2 (4,5), C. Casillas (2); TT -- Marshall (4).
