Cal Baseball Defeats USC 6-3 to Win The Series

IRVINE – The California baseball team won its fourth Pac-12 series of the season taking the rubber match 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at Great Park. The Golden Bear pitching dominated host USC and the offense came up big with runners in scoring position.

Cal (28-17, 14-13 Pac-12) got a tremendous pitching performance from its three pitchers. Trey Newmann (4-4) won his fourth consecutive appearance and was overpowering after a slow start. Austin Turkington pitched three stellar innings before handing the ball off to closer Tyler Stasiowski who shut the door on the Trojans for his fourth save of the year.

Offensively, the Bears finished the afternoon scoring six runs on five hits, getting clutch at-bats from Peyton Schulze and PJ Moutzouridis who combined to drive in five of Cal’s six runs.

USC (22-25, 12-11) scored the contest's opening two runs in the bottom of the first inning but was held in check until they scored a run in the sixth. For the afternoon, the Trojans finished with just five hits – two from leadoff hitter Ryan Jackson and were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and just 2-for-18 with runners on base.

Newmann, making his ninth start of the season, struggled with his command early. The Trojans took advantage, scoring two runs on two hits in the bottom of the first inning.

A single, a double, and a walk loaded the bases with no outs for USC. Newmann settled down, retiring the next three batters he faced but USC scored on a sacrifice fly from Jacob Galloway and a ground out to third by Ethan Hedges. In the bottom of the second, a leadoff walk and a single was all USC could muster.

Newmann shut down the Trojans retiring eight in a row from the second through the fifth. A 1-out walk in the fifth inning was the last base runner USC would get against the freshman. Newmann finished the day going 5.0 complete, scattering three hits, and two runs – both earned, with three walks and two strikeouts.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Bears' offense came to life. After a quiet turn through the order, Cal erupted for four runs on three hits to take a 4-2 lead. The inning began when Caleb Lomavita got hit by a pitch – the third time in this series he reached after getting hit. Rodney Green Jr. walked to put two on for Schulze who singled back up the middle allowing Lomavita to score. Seth Gwynn doubled down the left field line allowing Green to score, and Schulze advanced to third. Moutzouridis ended the rally with a 2-run single to center field scoring both base runners.

The loss went to USC starter William Watson (2-2). Watson held Cal to one hit through the first three innings but ran into trouble in the fourth. He finished the afternoon going 5.0 innings, allowing four hits, four runs – all earned, with two walks while striking out six.

Friday’s opener Austin Turkington entered the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Like Newmann, he was shaky early, surrendering a leadoff double to Galloway who eventually scored on a ground out by Andrew Lamb. In three innings pitched he allowed just one run while scattering two hits. In his final inning of work, he struck out the side in the eighth.

In the top of the eighth inning, with the Bears holding a 4-3 lead, Schulze came up clutch. With the bases loaded and no outs, he slapped a single to shallow right field the opposite way allowing Advincula and Lomavita to score. The two insurance runs were more than enough for Turkington and Stasiowski.

Cal’s closer entered the game in the top of the ninth inning and like his predecessors, allowed the first two base runners to reach. But he buckled down retiring the next three batters he faced to shut the door on USC.

Cal returns to action on Friday when the Bears begin a three-game nonconference series against South Bay rival San Jose State. Friday’s contest is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. start and will be televised on Pac-12 Bay Area.