BASEBALL / NCAA REGIONALS : Flores Shuts Out Tulane to Keep USC Unbeaten

USC left-hander Randy Flores continued the nation’s most impressive freshman season Friday night by shutting out Tulane, 5-0, in the second round of the NCAA South Regional at Baton Rouge, La.

Flores, a walk-on from El Rancho High in Pico Rivera, gave up six hits, struck out five and walked two in his fourth shutout and sixth complete game.

“I didn’t find out I was pitching until about an hour before we left the hotel for the game, so there was no tossing and turning last night when I went to sleep,” said Flores, who improved to 11-1 and lowered his earned-run average to 1.66. “I didn’t have rhythm with all my pitches in the first three innings, but I got more comfortable as the game went on.”

Aaron Boone had a two-run single in the second inning and Jacque Jones drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the eighth for USC, which plays defending national champion Louisiana State today. If USC wins, the Trojans will be one victory away from advancing to Omaha for the College World Series for the first time since 1978. If they lose to LSU, they will play again tonight against the winner of the game between Tulane and North Carolina Greensboro.

In other games involving Southland teams, three Cal State Fullerton pitchers combined on a six-hitter and the Titans took advantage of six errors to defeat Northwestern (La.) State, 11-3, in the first round of the Midwest I Regional at Stillwater, Okla. Fullerton plays today against Texas Christian, an 11-3 winner Friday over Memphis.

Washington defeated Long Beach State, 10-4, in the first round of the Midwest II Regional at Wichita, Kan. Long Beach plays Connecticut, a 7-0 loser to Georgia Tech, today in an elimination game.

Washington overcame a 3-0 deficit by scoring six unearned runs in the fourth inning.