Saturday, February 23
Los Angeles, CA
6:00 PM
USC
3-3
6
vs
4
Arkansas
5-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Arkansas
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
4
11
1
USC
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
6
9
1
Photo by: Katie Chin
CJ Stubbs Caps Dramatic Win Over No. 16 Arkansas With Walk-Off Homer
February 23, 2019 | Baseball, Features
LOS ANGELES – In one of the most dramatic finishes a college baseball fan could hope for, CJ Stubbs hit a walk-off two-run homer to give the USC baseball team a 6-4 win over No. 16 Arkansas on Saturday night.
In a game that saw three lead changes, the Trojans were down to their final strike in the bottom of the 10th before Jamal O'Guinn came up with a clutch RBI single to tie the game and set up Stubbs for the celebration-inducing shot to left.
The Trojans scored in each of the first two innings and held a 2-1 lead heading into the seventh, when an RBI single by Arkansas' Christian Franklin tied the game. USC would find an answer in the bottom of the eighth when Stubbs blooped a ball into right field to score the go-ahead run.
The lead didn't last long as the Razorbacks got a man to third with two outs and scored on a passed ball to even the game at 3-3. USC went down in order in the ninth to send it into extra innings.
Arkansas' Dominic Fletcher came up with what looked like it might be the moment of the night in the top of the 10th when he smacked a solo-shot to right-center, giving the visitors a 4-3 advantage and their first lead of the night.
Trevor Halsema came off the bench and led the bottom of the 10th off with a pinch-hit single before being removed for a pinch-runner. Chase Bushor would sacrifice Tyler Pritchard to second and, after a strikeout, O'Guinn came to the plate with two outs. On a 1-2 count, O'Guinn sent a ground ball back up the middle to score Pritchard from second. Stubbs followed with his heroics, sending the third pitch he saw over the left field fence and setting off a raucous celebration on the field and in the stands at Dedeaux Field.
Chris Clarke picked up the win after 3.2 innings of relief on the heels of a solid five-inning start from John Beller and 1.1 relief innings from Carson Lambert.
TOP PERFORMERS
COMING UP
USC welcomes UC Santa Barbara for a 6 p.m. game on Tuesday and then Grand Canyon comes to town for a three-game series next weekend.
In a game that saw three lead changes, the Trojans were down to their final strike in the bottom of the 10th before Jamal O'Guinn came up with a clutch RBI single to tie the game and set up Stubbs for the celebration-inducing shot to left.
The Trojans scored in each of the first two innings and held a 2-1 lead heading into the seventh, when an RBI single by Arkansas' Christian Franklin tied the game. USC would find an answer in the bottom of the eighth when Stubbs blooped a ball into right field to score the go-ahead run.
The lead didn't last long as the Razorbacks got a man to third with two outs and scored on a passed ball to even the game at 3-3. USC went down in order in the ninth to send it into extra innings.
Arkansas' Dominic Fletcher came up with what looked like it might be the moment of the night in the top of the 10th when he smacked a solo-shot to right-center, giving the visitors a 4-3 advantage and their first lead of the night.
Trevor Halsema came off the bench and led the bottom of the 10th off with a pinch-hit single before being removed for a pinch-runner. Chase Bushor would sacrifice Tyler Pritchard to second and, after a strikeout, O'Guinn came to the plate with two outs. On a 1-2 count, O'Guinn sent a ground ball back up the middle to score Pritchard from second. Stubbs followed with his heroics, sending the third pitch he saw over the left field fence and setting off a raucous celebration on the field and in the stands at Dedeaux Field.
Chris Clarke picked up the win after 3.2 innings of relief on the heels of a solid five-inning start from John Beller and 1.1 relief innings from Carson Lambert.
TOP PERFORMERS
- CJ Stubbs went 2-for-3 with three RBI on a double and a homer.
- Jamal O'Guinn led the Trojans with three hits, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored.
- Chase Bushor was 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored.
- John Beller struck out six and walked just one in 5.0 innings of work, scattering five hits and allowing one earned run.
- Chris Clarke gave up five hits and one earned run in 3.2 innings on the mound, striking out six and walking just one.
- This is the second walk-off win of the season for USC. The Trojans beat Omaha on opening day thanks to a ninth-inning RBI-single from Brandon Perez.
- Stubbs has had a hit in every game this season and has an extra-base hit in all but one.
- The Trojan pitching staff matched its season low with two walks (one intentional) for the second time this season.
Hear from the man of the hour, @cj_stubbs1, after his #walkoff shot against No. 16 Arkansas!#FightOn pic.twitter.com/Psj2mHuIYz
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) February 24, 2019
COMING UP
USC welcomes UC Santa Barbara for a 6 p.m. game on Tuesday and then Grand Canyon comes to town for a three-game series next weekend.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Escarrega, Saul (2-0)
L: Marshall Denton (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Casey Martin 1 ; Casey Opitz 1 ; Christian Franklin 1
HR: Dominic Fletcher 1
RBI: Dominic Fletcher 1 ; Christian Franklin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Dominic Fletcher 1 ; Casey Opitz 2 ; Jacob Nesbit 1
SB: Casey Martin 1 ; Jack Kenley 1 ; Casey Opitz 1
Batting:
2B: O'Guinn, Jamal 1
HR: Wanger, Ben 1 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1
RBI: Wanger, Ben 1 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 3 ; Thomas, John 1
SH: Wanger, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pritchard, Tyler 1 ; Wanger, Ben 2 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1 ; O'Guinn, Jamal 1 ; Shockey, Brady 1
SB: Shockey, Brady 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
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