Feb. 4, 2006

Box Score

LOS ANGELES - Sean Boatright delivered the go-ahead runs with a two-run homer in the eighth off Trojan closer Paul Koss as the No. 22/20 Long Beach State 49ers earned the 9-6 victory over the No. 17/18 USC Trojans at Dedeaux Field. The 49ers have taken the first two games of the season-opening series for both squads.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Koss came into the game and hit Evan Longoria with a pitch. On a 1-2 count, Boatright blasted a fly ball off the top of the fence in center field after the Dirtbags were down by a run.

Mike Malott (1-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 perfect innings in relief while Brett Andrade got his first save. Koss took the loss and is 0-1 on the season.

The Trojans received a strong performance on the mound from freshman Tommy Milone (Saugus/Saugus HS) with four scoreless innings in relief, allowing just three hits.

Tito Cruz went 3-for-5 for the 49ers while USC leadoff hitter Matt Cusick went 3-for-5 as well.

Longoria put the 49ers on the scoreboard in the first with a two-run homer off starter Shawn Olsen. Down 3-1 in the third, a throwing error by Longoria paced the way for four unearned runs for USC. Sophomore Lucas Duda (Riverside/Arlington HS) capped the inning with a two-run blast to right, his first of the season.

The series concludes tomorrow at noon at Blair Field. The game will be broadcast live on usctrojans.com.

LBS	201-200-022---9-15-1
USC	014-010-000---6-11-0
WP - Malott (1-0)   LP - Koss (0-1)   S - Andrade (1)
T: 3:32  ATT: 1,066
Records: USC (0-2), Long Beach State (2-0)
Carpenter, Peterson (6), Malott (7), Andrade (9) and Cruz.
Olsen, Milone (4), Koss (8), Martlaro (9), Zelenay (9) and Bowden.