USC
19-11, 8-6
Ohio State
8-19, 2-9
USC Baseball Rallies to Beat Ohio State, 12-9
April 05, 2025 | Baseball
All five of USC's runs in the eighth came with two outs as the victory gives the Trojans their fourth straight series victory. USC improves to 19-11 overall on the season and 8-6 in Big Ten play with the win. Ohio State falls to 8-19, 2-9.
Nine of the Trojans' 12 runs were scored in the final two innings as USC scored four in the seventh as well. The game was tied or the lead changed hands seven times on the afternoon. USC trailed 9-7 heading into the bottom of the eighth and the Trojans were quickly down to one out in the inning after an early double play.
Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek drew a walk and then Jack Basseer legged out an infield single to keep the Trojan rally alive. After a pitching change by the Buckeyes, Martinez hit a 1-1 pitch into the right center gap to score both runners, tying the game at 9-9. After another pitching change, Lamb was inserted as a pinch-hitter and he lined the fourth pitch he saw down the right field line to bring home Martinez and put USC in front.
Dean Carpentier then padded the Trojans' advantage, smashing a two-run homer to left for his third hit of the day.
USC's seventh inning rally also came with the Trojans trailing by two runs. Martin-Grudzielanek sparked the four-run seventh with a two-run shot to left after Ethan Hedges tripled to lead off the inning. Abbrie Covarrubias then drove in a run on a bunt single and the fourth run of the inning scored on the play due to a throwing error.
USC jumped ahead first early in the game, scoring single runs in the first and second innings. After the Buckeyes took the lead with a run in the third and two in the fourth, USC came back to tie it on a solo-home run by Brayden Dowd in the bottom half of the inning. Hedges also hit a solo-homer in first and singled home a run in the second to start the scoring for the Trojans. Ohio State plated single runs in each of the next two innings to take a 5-3 lead into the seventh.
Hedges was a double short of the cycle and also recorded the save, tossing a scoreless ninth inning. Martinez was inserted as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and proceeded to record two hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Ethan Hedges: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2R, HR, 3B, BB, SB | S, 1.0 IP, H, 0R, BB, K
- Maximo Martinez: 2-for-2, 2 RBI, 2R, 2B
- Dean Carpentier: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 2R, HR, 2B
- Andrew Lamb: 1-for-1, RBI, GW-3B
COMING UP
The Trojans and Buckeyes wrap things up on Sunday at 1 p.m. The series finale will be broadcast live on B1G+. USC will play a road game against LMU on Tuesday on ESPN+.
Hear from Maximo Martinez after his clutch game-tying double in the 8th ✌️#FightOn x #Brick_By_Brick pic.twitter.com/7DjsCeTNMN
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) April 6, 2025
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Favela, Jude (2-0)
L: Wynk, Blaine (1-2)
S: Hedges, Ethan (8)
Batting:
2B: Eckelman, Mason 1
3B: Lipsey, Trey 1
HR: Lipsey, Trey 1
RBI: Lipsey, Trey 4 ; Ellis, Lee 1 ; Pettorini, Tyler 1 ; Simpson, Maddix 1
SF: Ellis, Lee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lipsey, Trey 2 ; Ellis, Lee 1 ; Miller, Ryan 1 ; Giamarusti, Nick 1 ; Bussey, Reggie 3 ; Simpson, Maddix 1
SB: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Giamarusti, Nick 2
HBP: Lipsey, Trey 1 ; Graveline, Matthew 1
Batting:
2B: Martinez, Maximo 1 ; Carpentier, Dean 1
3B: Hedges, Ethan 1 ; Lamb, Andrew 1
HR: Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 1 ; Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 1 ; Carpentier, Dean 1
RBI: Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 2 ; Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 2 ; Martinez, Maximo 2 ; Lamb, Andrew 1 ; Carpentier, Dean 2 ; Covarrubias, Abbrie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 2 ; Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 2 ; Basseer, Jack 1 ; Martinez, Maximo 2 ; Lamb, Andrew 1 ; Carpentier, Dean 2 ; Covarrubias, Abbrie 1
SB: Hedges, Ethan 1 ; Covarrubias, Abbrie 2
HBP: Martin-Grudzielanek, Bryce 1
