Trojans Win on Ethan Hedges' Walkoff Double

Saturday, February 24

Irvine, Calif.

6:30 PM

USC

1-5

Portland

3-2

Portland

USC

Photo by: Katie Chin

Trojans Win on Ethan Hedges' Walkoff Double

February 24, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score Highlights Box Score (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. – The USC baseball team ended a rough start to the season in dramatic fashion, picking up its first win on a walkoff double by Ethan Hedges in the bottom of the ninth to take down Portland 6-5 on Saturday night.

The Trojans had a 5-0 lead after six innings in the contest, but the Pilots stormed back to tie it in the eighth. USC put two runners on before Hedges drove home the winning run with a ball into the left-center gap. USC moves to 1-5 on the season, while Portland falls to 3-2.

Tyler Stromsborg gave USC a strong start on the mound, tossing 6.0 innings while allowing five hits and two runs. Both runners scored after Stromsborg exited in the seventh.

Portland would go on to score four runs in the seventh, taking advantage of a pair of USC errors. The Pilots got the game-tying run thanks to a solo-home run in the eighth by Brady Bean.

Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek led off the ninth with a line-drive single up the middle for USC. After a pair of strikeouts, Carson Wells kept the rally going with a single into center to give the Trojans two on with two outs. Hedges drove a 1-1 pitching that hit off the wall and brought home Martin-Grudzielanek for the win.

USC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Jacob Galloway hit a two-run single with two outs. Ryan Jackson singled home a runner in the fourth and Galloway hit a sac fly in the inning as well. Abbrie Covarrubias singled home USC's fifth run in the fifth inning.

TOP PERFORMERS

Tyler Stromsborg: 6.0 IP, 2R, 5H, 3K, BB
Ethan Hedges: 1-for-1, GW 2B
Jacob Galloway: 1-for-2, 3 RBI, BB, SF
JT Waldon: 2-for-3, R, 2B, BB
Carson Wells: 2-for-4, R, 2B, BB

COMING UP
USC closes things out against Portland on Sunday at 1 p.m. The series finale will be broadcast live on Pac-12+ via USCTrojans.com.

Hear from Ethan Hedges after his dramatic final swing on Saturday night! #FightOn pic.twitter.com/D2Sxf9KEZo
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) February 25, 2024