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USC Beats No. 21 Tulane For Second Straight Time, 4-3
Feb. 24, 2007 LOS ANGELES - For the second straight day, freshman Grant Green (Anaheim Hills/Canyon HS) provided the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the seventh on Saturday as the USC Trojans defeated the No. 21 Tulane Green Wave, 4-3, at Dedeaux Field. The Trojans (9-6) secured their second series win against a Top 25 opponent this season (No. 17 San Diego). Freshman pitcher Robert Stock (Westlake Village/Agoura HS) recorded his first collegiate win as a Trojan, throwing 2 1/3 no-hit innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Senior closer Paul Koss (Orange/Orange Lutheran HS) threw a perfect ninth to earn his sixth save of the season and the 26th of his career, tying Brian Nichols (1985-88) for second place on USC's all-time list. Trojan freshman Brad Boxberger (Tustin/Foothill HS) did not figure in the decision despite a strong effort through five innings before loading the bases in the sixth. Through the first five innings, Boxberger allowed only one unearned run on two hits. He finished with 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Tulane dropped to 4-4 on the season with Preston Claiborne (0-1) taking the loss after two innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit with a walk and five strikeouts. USC scored three unearned runs off Tulane starter Brandon Gomes in the third. With the bases loaded after an error and two hit batters, Matt Cusick put the first run on the board with a sacrifice fly to left. J.J. Owen followed with an RBI single to right and Lucas Duda singled to left, making it a 3-0 Trojan lead.
Tim Guidry reached first in the fifth on an error by USC third baseman Hector Estrella and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Nate Simon. Boxberger's wild pitch moved Guidry to third and Sean Morgan's RBI single gave Tulane its first run of the game. In the sixth, the Green Wave loaded the bases when Boxberger walked Dyer. Stock entered the game at that point and threw a wild pitch to score Cat Everett. After a walk to Guidry loaded the bases again, Stock hit Simon on a 2-2 count to tie the game at 3-3. In the seventh, Claiborne walked the first batter he faced in Anthony Vasquez. Spencer Pabst replaced Vasquez as a pinch runner and stole second and third base to set up Green's RBI sacrifice fly. Dyer hit a one-out double in the eighth for a possible tying run for Tulane, but he was called out at first for missing the bag on the appeal. The series finale tomorrow will start at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live, along with Gametracker live stats, on usctrojans.com. TU 000-012-000---3-3-1 USC 003-000-10x---4-7-1 |
