USC Heads to Cal Poly this Weekend

THIS WEEK: The USC baseball team hits the road for a three-game, non-conference series at Cal Poly this weekend.

GAME SCHEDULE:
Friday at Cal Poly (Baggett Stadium), April 26, 6 p.m. (BigWest.tv/USC Audio)
Saturday at Cal Poly (Baggett Stadium), April 27, 4 p.m. (BigWest.tv/USC Audio)
Sunday at Cal Poly (Baggett Stadium), April 28, 1 p.m. (BigWest.tv/USC Audio)

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS:
Friday at Cal Poly: USC: RHP Connor Lunn (6-1, 2.30 ERA) vs. CP: LHP Chase Watkins (0-1, 3.63 ERA)
Saturday at Cal Poly: USC: LHP Isaac Esqueda (3-2, 3.14 ERA) vs. CP: RHP Bobby Ay (5-0, 2.62 ERA)
Sunday at Cal Poly: USC: TBA vs. CP: TBA

BROADCAST INFO: Cal Poly will stream all three games via BigWest.tv and there will also be a USC audio stream via USCTrojans.com. 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.

LAST TIME OUT: The Trojans went 2-0-1 against Washington State last week, winning the opening two games before playing to a tie in the third. The Trojans then fell to No. 19 UC Irvine on Tuesday.

SERIES VS CAL POLY: USC leads 23-7 (.767) | first meeting: 1953 | last meeting: 2015 (CP won 2-of-3 in San Luis Obispo)

HIT PARADE: The Trojan offense has been putting the ball in play on a consistent basis lately, with USC posting double-digit hit totals in its last eight straight contests and 11 of its last 12 games. Over the last 12 games, USC has 142 hits (11.8 per game), 83 runs scored (6.9 per game) and has raised its team average 24 points to .275. The Trojans are third in the Pac-12 with 364 hits on the season.

LUNN'S DOMINANCE: Connor Lunn came one out away from a complete game on 3/29 against No. 1 UCLA, but was able to finish the feat a few weeks later, tossing a complete-game shutout against Washington State on 4/18. Lunn gave up four hits, no walks and struck out five in the game, leading USC to a 4-0 win in just 101 pitches. Since taking over the Friday starter role mid-season, Lunn has gone 5-1 and has yet to throw less than 6.0 innings. He currently has a 15.0 scoreless innings streak going.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: According to the NCAA's strength of schedule index, USC currently has the third toughest schedule in the nation, with opponents owning a .617 winning percentage. The Trojans have four wins over Top 50 RPI teams and nine against Top 100 RPI squads.

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.
Blake Sabol hit a home run on the first pitch of the game at Dodger Stadium against UCLA.
CJ Stubbs has been clutch this year, hitting a walk-off two-run homer against Arkansas in the 10th 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.
RHP Connor Lunn nearly tossed a complete game against No. 1 UCLA in the series opener, picking up the win and throwing a career-high 8.2 innings.
USC came back from a 5-1 deficit against Cal State Fullerton, scoring five runs in the eighth inning against the Titans. Jamal O'Guinn drove in the winning runs with a three-run double.
USC's series victory over then-No. 7 Arizona State was its first over a Top 10 team since 2015.
The Trojans one-hit Utah on 4/11, getting 6.0 innings from starter Connor Lunn, 1.0 from Carson Lambert and the final 2.0 from Austin Manning to pick up a 6-0 win. Lunn struck out a career-high nine batters. The win was the first combined one-hitter for USC since 2013.
The Trojans won the opening two games of the series against ASU behind a potent offensive attack, scoring 17 runs on 26 hits in the opening two games. USC then matched its season high for hits with 15 in the finale.
Matthew Acosta has had a knack for spectacular catches this season, robbing ASU's Spencer Torkelson of a homer and then laying out for a diving catch against UC Irvine
CJ Stubbs is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, the longest of the season for USC.

STAT RANKINGS
TEAM:

Hits (364) - 3rd Pac-12
Runners Picked Off (7) - T-2nd Pac-12
Putouts (1053) - 3rd Pac-12
Assists (414) - 1st Pac-12
Runners Caught Stealing (15) - 1st Pac-12

PITCHING:

Earned Run Avg - Connor Lunn (2.30) - 8th Pac-12
Opposing Bat Avg - Connor Lunn (.172) - 2nd Pac-12
Wins - Connor Lunn (6) - T-3rd Pac-12
Saves - Chris Clarke (4) - T-5th Pac-12
Games Finished - Chris Clarke (16) - 4th Pac-12
Fewest Hits Allowed - Connor Lunn (33) - 4th Pac-12
Fewest Earned Runs - Connor Lunn (14) - T-7th Pac-12
Fewest Doubles Allowed - Connor Lunn (5) - T-2nd Pac-12

FIELDING:

Assists - Chase Bushor (120) - 1st Pac-12
Fielding Double Plays - Chase Bushor (28) - 3rd Pac-12
Runners Caught Stealing - CJ Stubbs (9) - 3rd Pac-12

BATTING:

Hit By Pitch - CJ Stubbs (8) - T-4th Pac-12
Sac Bunts - Chase Bushor (7) - T-4th Pac-12
Sac Flies - Blake Sabol (4) - T-3rd Pac-12
Sac Flies - Jamal O'Guinn (4) - T-3rd Pac-12
Stolen Bases - Blake Sabol (9) - T-7th Pac-12

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.

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

Matthew Acosta

Solomon Bates

Chase Bushor

Chandler Champlain

Chris Clarke

Isaac Esqueda

Preston Hartsell

Kyle Hurt

Carson Lambert

Connor Lunn

Austin Manning

Lars Nootbaar

Jamal O'Guinn

Clay Owens

Dillon Paulson

Brandon Perez

Ben Ramirez

Blake Sabol

Brady Shockey

CJ Stubbs

John Thomas