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Six Trojans Earn Pac-12 Honors
May 29, 2019 | Baseball, Features
LOS ANGELES – Six USC baseball players earned Pac-12 postseason honors with the release of the All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive teams today.
Chris Clarke, Connor Lunn and Clay Owens headlined the list by earning nods to the All-Pac-12 team, while Trevor Halsema earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention, and Matthew Acosta and Brandon Perez earned All-Defensive Team honorable mention. It is the first time since 2016 that the Trojans have had multiple players earn All-Pac-12 honors.
ALL-PAC-12
Chris Clarke was one of the top relievers in the country this season, posting a 1.03 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched, finishing third in the conference with eight saves. He finished the year with a total of 60 strikeouts to just 18 walks, and allowed just a .170 opponent batting average and had a 0.96 WHIP. Clarke finished the third most games in the Pac-12 this season, with 25 and had a 5-2 record out of the bullpen. It is the first All-Pac-12 honor for the junior righty.
Connor Lunn transitioned from the bullpen to the starting rotation mid-season and blossomed into one of the Pac-12's best Friday night arms. On the year, Lunn posted a 7-4 record and 3.69 ERA in a team-high 83.0 innings pitched. He finished ninth in the Pac-12 with 79 strikeouts during the regular season, was seventh with a .219 opposing batting average and his 83.0 innings pitched were also seventh. After taking over as the Friday starter at the beginning of Pac-12 play, Lunn had just one start that went less than 6.0 innings, including a complete-game shutout of Washington State. He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2018 as the Trojans' closer.
Clay Owens burst onto the scene as a freshman this season and through Pac-12 play was one of the Trojans' top bats. He hit .275 overall on the season, but posted a team-best .348 batting average in conference action, and had a .927 OPS during Pac-12 play as well. Owens had a total of 11 extra-base hits on the year, finishing the regular season with three homers, one triple and seven doubles. He drove in 16 runs and scored 14 in his rookie season.
ALL-PAC-12 HONORABLE MENTION
Trevor Halsema worked his way into regular playing time at the designated hitter spot for USC by the end of the season, finishing with a .278 average. Over the last three weeks of the season, Halsema posted a trio of multi-hit games, helping USC finish the season with a pair of conference series victories over Oregon and Oregon State. Halsema had a double and a triple on the year, and scored 11 runs to go along with four RBI.
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM HONORABLE MENTION
Matthew Acosta just missed out on a nod to the All-Pac-12 team because of an extremely crowded field of outfielders in the conference this year, but was recognized for his work with the glove as one of the top centerfielders in the Pac-12. Acosta committed just one error in 126 fielding chances and posted four outfield assists. He showed a propensity for highlight-reel catches all year, including robbing a home run from Arizona State's Spencer Torkelson in a series win for the Trojans. Acosta also hit a team-best .319 on the season, with 40 RBI, seven homers, 10 doubles and 36 runs scored. He stole eight bases as well.
Brandon Perez was one of the most reliable and versatile infielders in the conference this season, playing mostly at third base, but also spending time at second for the Trojans. Perez posted a .961 fielding percentage on the season and helped turn 19 double-plays. The senior is coming off of a 2018 campaign where he won ABCA Gold Glove honors at third base, and also earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a sophomore in 2017.
Chris Clarke, Connor Lunn and Clay Owens headlined the list by earning nods to the All-Pac-12 team, while Trevor Halsema earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention, and Matthew Acosta and Brandon Perez earned All-Defensive Team honorable mention. It is the first time since 2016 that the Trojans have had multiple players earn All-Pac-12 honors.
ALL-PAC-12
Chris Clarke was one of the top relievers in the country this season, posting a 1.03 ERA in 52.1 innings pitched, finishing third in the conference with eight saves. He finished the year with a total of 60 strikeouts to just 18 walks, and allowed just a .170 opponent batting average and had a 0.96 WHIP. Clarke finished the third most games in the Pac-12 this season, with 25 and had a 5-2 record out of the bullpen. It is the first All-Pac-12 honor for the junior righty.
Connor Lunn transitioned from the bullpen to the starting rotation mid-season and blossomed into one of the Pac-12's best Friday night arms. On the year, Lunn posted a 7-4 record and 3.69 ERA in a team-high 83.0 innings pitched. He finished ninth in the Pac-12 with 79 strikeouts during the regular season, was seventh with a .219 opposing batting average and his 83.0 innings pitched were also seventh. After taking over as the Friday starter at the beginning of Pac-12 play, Lunn had just one start that went less than 6.0 innings, including a complete-game shutout of Washington State. He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2018 as the Trojans' closer.
Clay Owens burst onto the scene as a freshman this season and through Pac-12 play was one of the Trojans' top bats. He hit .275 overall on the season, but posted a team-best .348 batting average in conference action, and had a .927 OPS during Pac-12 play as well. Owens had a total of 11 extra-base hits on the year, finishing the regular season with three homers, one triple and seven doubles. He drove in 16 runs and scored 14 in his rookie season.
ALL-PAC-12 HONORABLE MENTION
Trevor Halsema worked his way into regular playing time at the designated hitter spot for USC by the end of the season, finishing with a .278 average. Over the last three weeks of the season, Halsema posted a trio of multi-hit games, helping USC finish the season with a pair of conference series victories over Oregon and Oregon State. Halsema had a double and a triple on the year, and scored 11 runs to go along with four RBI.
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM HONORABLE MENTION
Matthew Acosta just missed out on a nod to the All-Pac-12 team because of an extremely crowded field of outfielders in the conference this year, but was recognized for his work with the glove as one of the top centerfielders in the Pac-12. Acosta committed just one error in 126 fielding chances and posted four outfield assists. He showed a propensity for highlight-reel catches all year, including robbing a home run from Arizona State's Spencer Torkelson in a series win for the Trojans. Acosta also hit a team-best .319 on the season, with 40 RBI, seven homers, 10 doubles and 36 runs scored. He stole eight bases as well.
Brandon Perez was one of the most reliable and versatile infielders in the conference this season, playing mostly at third base, but also spending time at second for the Trojans. Perez posted a .961 fielding percentage on the season and helped turn 19 double-plays. The senior is coming off of a 2018 campaign where he won ABCA Gold Glove honors at third base, and also earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a sophomore in 2017.
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