USC
1-0
Omaha
0-1
Trojans Get Walk-Off Win Over Omaha to Start Season
February 15, 2019 | Baseball, Features
The Trojans trailed by as much as three runs, but stormed back with six runs in the final four innings.
Trailing 3-0, Chase Bushor got the Trojans going with a two-run homer to right in the sixth. Omaha would come back with two runs in the top of the eighth, but USC had an immediate response in the bottom half of the frame thanks to another two-run shot, this time from Jamal O'Guinn.
With the Trojans still down 5-4 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Brady Shockey led off the inning with a pinch-hit double and the comeback was on. Matthew Acosta drove in pinch-runner Tyler Pritchard with a single to tie the game, and then moved up to third on a groundout. After a pair of intentional walks to load the bases, Perez came up and on an 0-2 count, he lofted a base hit into shallow left to win the game.
Chris Clarke helped the Trojans get to the bottom of the ninth still within one, striking out one and stranding a runner to toss a scoreless ninth. Kyle Hurt got the start and gave up a pair of earned runs in five innings of work, while Brian Gursky threw the next three innings before giving way to Clarke.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Brandon Perez was 2-for-5 at the plate with a triple and the game-winning RBI.
- Chase Bushor was 1-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored.
- Jamal O'Guinn was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer.
- Matthew Acosta was 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
QUOTABLE
Hear from Brandon Perez after his ninth inning heroics.#FightOn pic.twitter.com/YFwpb3EQhl
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) February 16, 2019
COMING UP
The Trojans and Mavericks have two more games this weekend, playing on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Escarrega, Saul (1-0)
L: Cal Hehnke (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Tyler Daugherty 1 ; Breyden Eckhout 1
RBI: Matt Bondarchuk 1 ; Thomas Debonville 1 ; Tyler Daugherty 1 ; Braden Rogers 1 ; Breyden Eckhout 1
SH: Parker Smejkal 1
SF: Braden Rogers 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brett Bonar 1 ; Keil Krumwiede 1 ; Max Gamm 2 ; Breyden Eckhout 1
CS: Breyden Eckhout 1
Batting:
2B: Shockey, Brady 1
3B: Olmstead, Johnny 1 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1
HR: Wanger, Ben 1 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1
RBI: Beller, John 1 ; Wanger, Ben 2 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 2 ; Olmstead, Johnny 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Beller, John 2 ; Wanger, Ben 2 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1 ; Pritchard, Tyler 1
CS: Wanger, Ben 1
PO: Beller, John 1
