University Southern California Trojans
Friday, May 19
Tucson, Ariz.
1:00 PM
USC
at
Arizona
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
Photo by: Lyn Golden
USC Baseball Closes Regular Season Play at Arizona
May 17, 2023 | Baseball
THIS WEEK: The USC baseball team closes the regular season on the road, heading to Arizona for a three-game series starting on Thursday. USC then stays in Arizona, heading up to Scottsdale for the start of the Pac-12 Tournament on Tuesday.
Â
GAME SCHEDULE:
Thursday - USC at Arizona (Hi-Corbett Field), May 18, 7 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Friday - USC at Arizona (Hi-Corbett Field), May 19, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Saturday - USC at Arizona (Hi-Corbett Field), May 20, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Â
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS:
Thursday - USC: RHP Blake Sodersten (4-2, 2.92 ERA) vs. UA: RHP Cam Walty (4-0, 4.54 ERA)
Friday - USC: RHP Caden Aoki (4-1, 2.04 ERA) vs. UA: LHP Bradon Zastrow (4-5, 5.29 ERA)
Saturday - USC: RHP Tyler Stromsborg (4-3, 4.79 ERA) vs. UA: RHP Aiden May (4-2, 7.12 ERA)
Â
BROADCAST INFO: All four games will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. Links to the broadcasts are available on the baseball schedule page at USCTrojans.com.
Â
FOLLOW: Fans can also follow the action through live stats on USCTrojans.com. Live, in-game updates will be available for all games from @USC_Baseball on Twitter as well.
Â
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_baseball on Instagram and USC Trojans Baseball on Facebook.
Â
LAST WEEKEND: The Trojans swept Arizona State at home over the weekend, holding the Sun Devils to just two runs and 10 hits in three games. The three wins closed out USC's home schedule, with the Trojans compiling their best home record since 2001 at 26-6. USC won all eight of its home series this year, including four sweeps.
Â
TUESDAY TRIUMPH: USC won its final midweek contest, taking down LMU on Tuesday behind a season-high four homers, getting two from Johnny Olmstead and one each from Cole Gabrielson and Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek.
Â
SERIES VS UA: USC leads the all-time series between the teams, 127-113-1. The Trojans took 2-of-3 at home from the Wildcats last season and Arizona swept USC the last time the series was in Tucson in 2021.
Â
PAC-12 TOURNAMENT: The Pac-12 Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 23-27 at Scottsdale Stadium (Arizona). After last season's inaugural conference tournament, the field will be increased to nine teams and the format will change to pool play instead of double elimination. Pool play will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with three games per day. Each pool will play a round-robin. The three pool winners will advance to the Friday single-elimination semifinals along with one Wild Card team. The Wild Card will be determined by the best record of the non-advancing teams. Any tiebreaker will be awarded to the highest seeded team.
Â
TOURNAMENT SEEDING: USC (16-11) currently sits alone in fourth in the Pac-12 standings. USC is two wins back of Oregon State for the third spot, with the Beavers already having completed their Pac-12 schedule. Both Arizona State and Oregon are two wins behind USC in the standings.
Â
PLAYER NOTES:
TEAM NOTES:
Â
GAME SCHEDULE:
Thursday - USC at Arizona (Hi-Corbett Field), May 18, 7 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Friday - USC at Arizona (Hi-Corbett Field), May 19, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Saturday - USC at Arizona (Hi-Corbett Field), May 20, 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Â
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS:
Thursday - USC: RHP Blake Sodersten (4-2, 2.92 ERA) vs. UA: RHP Cam Walty (4-0, 4.54 ERA)
Friday - USC: RHP Caden Aoki (4-1, 2.04 ERA) vs. UA: LHP Bradon Zastrow (4-5, 5.29 ERA)
Saturday - USC: RHP Tyler Stromsborg (4-3, 4.79 ERA) vs. UA: RHP Aiden May (4-2, 7.12 ERA)
Â
BROADCAST INFO: All four games will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. Links to the broadcasts are available on the baseball schedule page at USCTrojans.com.
Â
FOLLOW: Fans can also follow the action through live stats on USCTrojans.com. Live, in-game updates will be available for all games from @USC_Baseball on Twitter as well.
Â
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_baseball on Instagram and USC Trojans Baseball on Facebook.
Â
LAST WEEKEND: The Trojans swept Arizona State at home over the weekend, holding the Sun Devils to just two runs and 10 hits in three games. The three wins closed out USC's home schedule, with the Trojans compiling their best home record since 2001 at 26-6. USC won all eight of its home series this year, including four sweeps.
Â
TUESDAY TRIUMPH: USC won its final midweek contest, taking down LMU on Tuesday behind a season-high four homers, getting two from Johnny Olmstead and one each from Cole Gabrielson and Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek.
Â
SERIES VS UA: USC leads the all-time series between the teams, 127-113-1. The Trojans took 2-of-3 at home from the Wildcats last season and Arizona swept USC the last time the series was in Tucson in 2021.
Â
PAC-12 TOURNAMENT: The Pac-12 Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 23-27 at Scottsdale Stadium (Arizona). After last season's inaugural conference tournament, the field will be increased to nine teams and the format will change to pool play instead of double elimination. Pool play will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with three games per day. Each pool will play a round-robin. The three pool winners will advance to the Friday single-elimination semifinals along with one Wild Card team. The Wild Card will be determined by the best record of the non-advancing teams. Any tiebreaker will be awarded to the highest seeded team.
Â
TOURNAMENT SEEDING: USC (16-11) currently sits alone in fourth in the Pac-12 standings. USC is two wins back of Oregon State for the third spot, with the Beavers already having completed their Pac-12 schedule. Both Arizona State and Oregon are two wins behind USC in the standings.
Â
PLAYER NOTES:
- Austin Overn currently leads the nation with 13 triples, which set a new USC single season record, breaking the record set by Grant Green in 2007 (10) (the NCAA record is 17). Overn leads the team with a .321 batting average, and his 69 hits are 7th in the conference. Overn was a walk-on WR with the USC football team this past fall, but did not see time on the field.
- Blake Sodersten earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors after leading USC to a series-opening win over then No. 17 Oregon, giving up one run in 7.0 innings while striking out a career-high 11 batters and walking just one. Sodersten was pitching on short rest after starting the previous Sunday. He followed that up with 7.0 innings of three-hit and one-run ball against Arizona State last week. He now owns a 2.92 ERA, good for 3rd in the conference.
- Caden Aoki leads the Pac-12 and is 9th in the nation with a 2.04 ERA in 9 starts this season. Since taking over as USC's Saturday starter, he has given up more than one run just once and has thrown five or more shutout innings in a start three times. He tossed a career high 8.0 shutout innings against Arizona State last weekend, earning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors. Aoki's 7.3 hits allowed per game is 3rd in the conference and his 1.13 WHIP is 2nd in the Pac-12.
- Cole Gabrielson is 2nd on the team with 10 homers and his 44 RBI are tied for the team lead. Gabrielson hit a walk-off single against UCLA to win the series finale and secure a 2-1 series win for the Trojans.
- Johnny Olmstead leads USC with 11 homers after hitting a pair against LMU on Tuesday, and his 44 RBI are tied for the team lead. Olmstead's .559 slugging percentage leads the team and his 10 stolen bases are 2nd. He also has 4 triples on the season, the 4th most in the Pac-12.
- Garrett Clarke is 3rd in the Pac-12 and 31st in the nation with 8 saves on the year. In 24 appearances, he owns a 1.69 ERA, with opponents hitting .202 against him. He has struck out 31 batters and walked 12. Clarke was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year midseason watch list.
- Kyle Wisch is 2nd on the team and 5th in the Pac-12 with 6 saves on the year. He has a 2.01 ERA, with opponents hitting .161 against him. He has struck out 39 batters and walked 15, while making 29 appearances on the mound, good for 3rd most in the Pac-12 and 14th most in the NCAA. Along with Clarke, he was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year midseason watch list.
- Tyler Stromsborg returned to the rotation last weekend after a week of rest, tossing 6.2 innings and giving up one run on four hits against Arizona State. He has one complete game shutout on the year, tossing a full 9 at Utah to earn Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors on April 3. It was the first CG shutout for a USC pitcher since 2019.
TEAM NOTES:
- USC's 32 wins this year are the most by a Trojan team since 2015 (the last time USC made a regional).
- After finishing last in the conference last season, USC was picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll this year, but currently sits 4th in the standings.
- The Trojans are 26-6 at home this season, posting the most home wins by a USC team since 2001.
- USC posted back-to-back shutouts on the road at Utah, marking the first time since 2008 that a USC team has posted consecutive shutouts. The Trojans have 3 shutouts on the season, 4th in the Pac-12 and 41st in the NCAA.
- USC's 27 triples lead the Pac-12 and are 2nd in the nation. Five Trojans have multiple triples, including Overn (13), Olmstead (4), Hedges (3), Gabrielson (2), and Martin-Grudzielanek (2).
- USC's 4.14 team ERA is 1st in the Pac-12 and 18th in the nation. The Trojans' team WHIP (1.30) is also tops in the conference and 14th in the NCAA. The 7.95 hits allowed per game by USC pitching leads the Pac-12 and is 16th in the nation.
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs OSU, NCAA Regional Round)
Monday, June 02
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs SMC, NCAA Regional Round)
Saturday, May 31
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs TCU, NCAA Regional Opener)
Friday, May 30
Baseball - USC 10, Washington 4: Highlights (05/17/25)
Saturday, May 17
