Trojans Host Top-Ranked UCLA This Weekend

THIS WEEK: The USC baseball team hosts crosstown rivals and No. 1-ranked UCLA for a three-game series starting on Friday. The Trojans then head to UC Santa Barbara for a non-conference matchup on Tuesday.

GAME SCHEDULE:
Friday (Dedeaux Field), March 29, 7 p.m. (Pac-12 Network/Los Angeles)
Saturday (Dedeaux Field), March 30, 4 p.m. (Pac-12 Los Angeles)
Sunday (Dedeaux Field), March 31, 4 p.m. (Pac-12 Los Angeles)
Tuesday (at UC Santa Barbara), April 2, 3 p.m. (USC Audio Stream)

BROADCAST INFO: All three games at home against UCLA will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks, with Friday's opener on Pac-12 Network and Pac-12 Los Angeles, and the games on Saturday and Sunday on Pac-12 Los Angeles. Tuesday's game will be streamed through BigWest.tv and the USC Audio Stream. Links to all of the broadcasts are available on the baseball schedule page at USCTrojans.com.

FOLLOW: Fans can also follow the action through live stats on USCTrojans.com. Live, in-game updates will be available from @USC_Baseball on Twitter as well.

GET SOCIAL: Follow USC Baseball on social media to get updates on everything going on with the team this season. The Trojans can be found at @USC_Baseball on Twitter, @sctrojans on Instagram and USC Trojans Baseball on Facebook.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Friday vs. UCLA: USC: RHP Connor Lunn (2-1, 3.28 ERA) vs. UCLA: RHP Zach Pettway (2-1, 2.66 ERA)
Saturday vs. UCLA: USC: LHP Isaac Esqueda (2-0, 0.95 ERA) vs. UCLA: RHP Jack Ralston (3-0, 3.09 ERA)
Sunday vs. UCLA: USC: RHP Kyle Hurt (0-3, 5.40 ERA) vs. UCLA: RHP Ryan Garcia (1-0, 1.20 ERA)
Tuesday at UCSB: USC: TBA vs. UCSB: TBA

LAST WEEK: USC had a tough weekend at Washington as the Trojans were swept by the Huskies. USC came back and forced extra innings in each of the final two games, but couldn't pick up a win in either, fallin in the 10th in both games.

SERIES VS UCLA: USC leads 262-141 (.652) | first meeting: 1928 | Series notes: UCLA swept the Trojans in Westwood last year after USC won at Dodger Stadium. UCLA won 7-5 at Dodger Stadium earlier this year.

SERIES VS UCSB: USC leads 89-48-1 (.653) | first meeting: 1921 | last year: split season series 1-1 | this year: UCSB won 2-1 (2/26)

DODGER STADIUM CLASSIC: USC once again played in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, falling to then-No. 2 UCLA 7-5 on March 10 in Chavez Ravine. Leading up to the final at Dodger Stadium, the Trojans lost at home to Oklahoma State 11-6 on March 8 and beat then-No. 16 Michigan 4-1 at home on March 9. Michigan and Oklahoma State played at Dodger Stadium prior to the Trojans and Bruins on March 10, with Oklahoma State coming out on top 3-2. The Trojans and Bruins are now 4-4 against each other at Dodger Stadium since 2010.

PAC-12 OPENER: The Trojans took two of three games to open Pac-12 play at Cal earlier this season, winning the first two before dropping a wild finale. The Trojans took the opener 9-4 behind some clutch homers by CJ Stubbs (game-tying) and Jamal O'Guinn (go-ahead). Isaac Esqueda, Carson Lambert and Chris Clarke combined for a 1-0 shutout on Saturday for USC. The Trojans scored four runs in the ninth, but fell in the finale 9-8.

DOWNING THE DIRTBAGS: The Trojans took on Long Beach State twice in the past two weeks and picked up wins in both contests to sweep the season series for the first time since 2016. Five Trojan pitchers combined to hold the Dirtbags to just three hits and the USC bats put up five runs on 11 hits in a 5-2 win at Dedeaux Field. The Trojans then went to Long Beach on Tuesday and won 8-5 in the 10th inning thanks to a three-run triple by CJ Stubbs.

SEASON QUICK HITS:

The Trojans have two walk-off wins on the season. CJ Stubbs hit a walk-off homer against Arkansas in the 10th inning of the series finale and the Trojans beat Omaha on opening day thanks to a ninth-inning RBI-single from Brandon Perez.
Chase Bushor has reached base in 22 of 23 games so far this season for the Trojans.
Blake Sabol hit a home run on the first pitch of the game at Dodger Stadium against UCLA.
Blake Sabol is currently on a six-game hitting streak.
Isaac Esqueda has given up just one earned run in four starts this season and has 0 ER in his last three starts (17.0 IP). His 0.95 ERA is fourth in the Pac-12.
Connor Lunn's start against Cal was his first since his freshman season in 2017. His 7.0 innings pitched were a career high and six strikeouts matched a career best.
USC has played three straight 10 inning games going into this weekend's series.
CJ Stubbs has been clutch this year, hitting a walk-off two-run homer against Arkansas in the 10th inning on 2/23, a game-tying solo-homer against Cal on 3/15 and a game-winning three-run triple in the 10th inning against LBSU on 3/26.
Kyle Hurt struck out a career-high 10 batters in 8.0 innings against Washington on 3.24. He is the first Trojan since Kyle Davis in 2016 to strike out at least 10 batters in a game.

STAT RANKINGS
TEAM:

Shutouts (2) - 37th NCAA
Innings Pitched (206.0) – 3rd Pac-12
Batters struck out (208) – 3rd Pac-12
Runners picked off (5) - T-2nd Pac-12
Fielding Double Plays(19) – 3rd Pac 12

BATTING:

Sac bunts - Chase Bushor (7) – 7th NCAA, T-2nd Pac-12
Sac flies - Jamal O'Guinn (3) – T-3rd Pac-12
Total plate appearances - Blake Sabol (111) – 7th Pac-12
At bats - Blake Sabol (94) – 5th Pac-12

PITCHING:

ERA - Isaac Esqueda (0.95) – 20th NCAA, 4th Pac-12
Opposing batting average - Connor Lunn (.184) – 3rd in Pac 12 / Kyle Hurt (.198) - 9th in Pac-12
Batters struck out - Kyle Hurt (37) – 5th in Pac-12
Saves - Chris Clarke (3) – T-4th Pac-12
Appearances - Chris Clarke (12) – T-8th Pac-12
Games finished - Chris Clarke (11) – T-2nd Pac-12
Games in relief - Chris Clarke (12) – T-8th Pac-12

FIELDING:

Fielding pct. - Brandon Perez (1.000) - T-1st Pac-12
Assists - Chase Bushor (77) - 1st Pac-12
Runners caught stealing - CJ Stubbs (4) - T-5th Pac-12
Double plays - Chase Bushor (16) - T-3rd Pac-12 / Brandon Perez (14) - 6th Pac-12

THE ROSTER: The Trojans return 25 players from last year's roster and welcome a total of 10 newcomers heading into the season. The team has 3 seniors, 11 juniors (2 RS), 11 sophomores (1 RS) and 10 freshmen (1 RS). There are 17 pitchers (8 left, 9 right) and 18 position players.

THE SCHEDULE: USC plays its first 13 games at Dedeaux Field before facing UCLA at Dodger Stadium before finally hitting the road for the first time in the third week of March. The Trojans play 32 games at home and 24 games on the road this season. The 56 game slate features seven teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year and three that were in the College World Series, including both of the teams from the championship final, Arkansas and Oregon State.

STOPPER WATCH: Connor Lunn was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year (given to the top reliever in college baseball each year) watch list early this season. Lunn was the Trojans' closer all of 2018, leading the team with eight saves over the course of 30.1 innings pitched and 22 total relief appearances. The junior righty boasted a 2.97 ERA while striking out 32 batters and walking just nine last season.

RECRUITING CLASS: The Trojans welcomed the 14th ranked recruiting class in the nation according to Baseball America and the 16th ranked class according to Perfect Game. Perfect Game also had the USC class as the highest rated class on the West Coast. D1baseball.com had the Trojan class ranked No. 21.

SUMMER BALL: 14 Trojans spread our across the country to play summer ball this offseason, with four playing in the famed Cape Cod League (Blake Sabol, Kyle Hurt, Connor Lunn, Ben Ramirez). Four USC players earned All-Star or All-League honors in their respective leagues; Sabol (Chatham Anglers, Cape Cod League), John Thomas (Arroyo Seco Saints, California Collegiate League), Chris Clarke (Bethesda Big Train, Cal Ripken Collegiate League) and Brady Shockey (Palm Springs Power, Southern California Collegiate League). Sabol especially stood out as one of the top prospects in the Cape and even made an appearance in the league's home run derby. He was named to the Perfect Game Collegiate Summer All-American second team.

PROSPECT RANKINGS: In the latest D1Baseball prospect rankings for the next two draft classes, four Trojans were ranked. In the 2019 draft class (350 ranked), Kyle Hurt is the 53rd ranked prospect, Blake Sabol is 63rd and Chris Clarke is 324. In the 2020 class (150 ranked), Chandler Champlain is 64th.

IMPACT FRESHMEN: D1Baseball ranked the Top 100 impact freshmen in college baseball and three USC rookies were ranked. Chandler Champlain is ranked No. 11, Preston Hartsell No. 91 and Clay Owens No. 94.

ALL-PAC-12 RETURNERS: The Trojans bring back a trio of players who earned All Pac-12 honorable mention last year, with Connor Lunn, Chase Bushor and Blake Sabol all returning to this year's squad. Lunn led the team with eight saves and had a 2.97 ERA, Bushor was second on the team with a .301 average and Sabol drove in 24 runs with 14 extra-base hits last year.

DRAFTED: The Trojans had a trio of players selected in last year's MLB Draft. RHP Solomon Bates was taken in the eighth round (226 overall) by the San Francisco Giants, OF Lars Nootbaar was also selected in the eighth round by the St. Louis Cardinals (243 overall) and 1B Dillon Paulson was taken in the 13th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

USC TO THE MLB: No other school can claim a larger number of alumni who have made it to the big leagues, with 113 Trojans having played in the MLB. The list includes three Trojans who have made it to the MLB Hall of Fame (Randy Johnson, Tom Seaver, Pat Gillick), nine Cy Young Awards (Johnson 5 times, Seaver 3 times, Barry Zito once), three Rookie of the Years (Seaver, Fred Lynn, Mark McGwire), one American League MVP (Lynn), one World Series MVP (Johnson), 29 World Series appearances and 67 All-Star Game appearances. In all, 333 Trojans have been selected in the MLB Draft.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: The Trojans have an unparalleled history of championship success at the College World Series, winning 12 total national titles (1948, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1998). The 12 titles are double any other team in the country and were won in 21 CWS appearances by the Trojans. USC won five straight NCAA Championships from 1970-74, a feat no other program has accomplished.

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Players Mentioned

Solomon Bates

Chase Bushor

Chandler Champlain

Chris Clarke

Isaac Esqueda

Preston Hartsell

Kyle Hurt

Carson Lambert

Connor Lunn

Lars Nootbaar

Jamal O'Guinn

Clay Owens

Dillon Paulson

Brandon Perez

Ben Ramirez

Blake Sabol

Brady Shockey

CJ Stubbs

John Thomas