Saturday, April 26
Minneapolis, Minn.
4:00 PM
USC
28-14, 0
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Minnesota
20-20, 0
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9
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USC
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Minnesota
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Photo by: Chris Mora
Aoki's Complete Game Leads Trojans Past Minnesota, 6-1
April 26, 2025 | Baseball
MINNEAPOLIS – Caden Aoki tossed a complete-game two-hitter as the USC baseball team took down Minnesota 6-1 to clinch its seventh straight series victory on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Aoki had a no-hitter going into the eighth inning and gave up his lone run in the ninth, but other than that was nearly untouchable all night as he struck out nine batters. USC has now won five straight and improves to 28-14 overall and 13-7 in Big Ten play. Minnesota falls to 20-20, 7-13.
It was a pitchers duel through the first four innings until USC loaded the bases in the fifth and Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek cleared them with a shot to left field. Jack Basseer added to the Trojan lead the very next inning, doubling down the third-base line to score Andrew Lamb from first and make it a 5-0 game. Martin-Grudzielanek plated USC's sixth run on a single in the seventh.
After a quick first inning, Aoki allowed his only two walks of the night with two outs in the second, but got a groundout to strand them both. He retired the next 15 batters in a row, including striking out the side in the seventh inning.
The Gophers' first hit came on an infield single deep in the hole at short to lead off the eighth. Aoki would retire the next three batters to strand the runner. Minnesota's lone run came on a solo-homer with two outs in the ninth.
Aoki's performance was the first two-hit complete game thrown by a USC pitcher since 2015 (Mitch Hart vs. Washington State on March 15) and the first complete game since Tyler Stromsborg vs. Utah in 2023 (March 31).
TOP PERFORMERS
COMING UP
USC and Minnesota wrap things up on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT/1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Aoki had a no-hitter going into the eighth inning and gave up his lone run in the ninth, but other than that was nearly untouchable all night as he struck out nine batters. USC has now won five straight and improves to 28-14 overall and 13-7 in Big Ten play. Minnesota falls to 20-20, 7-13.
It was a pitchers duel through the first four innings until USC loaded the bases in the fifth and Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek cleared them with a shot to left field. Jack Basseer added to the Trojan lead the very next inning, doubling down the third-base line to score Andrew Lamb from first and make it a 5-0 game. Martin-Grudzielanek plated USC's sixth run on a single in the seventh.
After a quick first inning, Aoki allowed his only two walks of the night with two outs in the second, but got a groundout to strand them both. He retired the next 15 batters in a row, including striking out the side in the seventh inning.
The Gophers' first hit came on an infield single deep in the hole at short to lead off the eighth. Aoki would retire the next three batters to strand the runner. Minnesota's lone run came on a solo-homer with two outs in the ninth.
Aoki's performance was the first two-hit complete game thrown by a USC pitcher since 2015 (Mitch Hart vs. Washington State on March 15) and the first complete game since Tyler Stromsborg vs. Utah in 2023 (March 31).
TOP PERFORMERS
- Caden Aoki: 9.0 IP, 2H, R, 2BB, 9K
- Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek: 2-for-3, 5 RBI, R, GS, BB
- Brayden Dowd: 4-for-5, 2R
COMING UP
USC and Minnesota wrap things up on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT/1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Hear from the man of the hour after his CG leads the Trojans to a 5th straight win and 7th consecutive series victory ✌️ #FightOn x @Cadenaoki pic.twitter.com/z66TAClUhK
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) April 27, 2025
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aoki, Caden (4-2)
L: Kyle Remington (1-6)
Batting:
2B: Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Basseer, Jack 1
HR: Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 1
RBI: Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 5 ; Basseer, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dowd, Brayden 2 ; Hedges, Ethan 1 ; Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 1 ; Lamb, Andrew 1 ; Tejeda, Richard 1
CS: Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Basseer, Jack 1
HBP: Hedges, Ethan 1
Batting:
HR: Weber Neels 1
RBI: Weber Neels 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Weber Neels 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
5
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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RHP
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