Trojans Drop Low-Scoring Affair to Southern Illinois, 3-1

Saturday, February 22

San Diego, Calif.

1:00 PM

USC

3-2

Southern Illinois

4-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
USC	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	4	0
Southern Illinois	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	X	3	7	1

Photo by: John McGillen

Trojans Drop Low-Scoring Affair to Southern Illinois, 3-1

February 22, 2020 | Baseball, Features

Box Score Final Stats Box Score (PDF)

SAN DIEGO – The USC baseball team fell to Southern Illinois 3-1 on Saturday afternoon in their second game at the Tony Gwynn Classic.

USC falls to 3-2 with the loss, while the Salukis improve to 4-3.

The Trojans were held to just four hits on the day, but had their chances. After Southern Illinois took a 1-0 lead on in the fifth, USC came back and tied the game up on a pinch-hit RBI single by Ben Wanger. That was it for the Trojans, however, as Southern Illinois scored on a passed ball in the sixth and a wild pitch in the seventh to go ahead for good.

USC did get runners to the corners with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but a strikeout and foul out ended the threat.

Isaac Esqueda took the tough loss despite a solid start in which he threw 5.1 innings and gave up two runs, one being unearned. Ethan Hoopingarner finished out the sixth inning, giving up one run, while Quentin Longrie and Ethan Reed each tossed scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth respectively.

TOP PERFORMERS

Clay Owens had a two-hit day with a walk.
Ben Wanger went 1-for-2 with an RBI coming off the bench.
Isaac Esqueda scattered six hits over 5.1 innings, giving up one earned run while striking out three and walking four.
Ethan Reed and Quentin Longrie each had one strikeout and no walks or hits given up in their lone inning.