Trojans’ Adventures Include Unusual Twist

USC staved off elimination for at least one game, but not by defeating Texas Tech as desired in the night game Saturday at Dan Law Field.

A storm and the threat of tornadoes prompted officials to postpone the elimination game of the NCAA Central II regional until noon (PDT) today.

USC’s Scott Henderson and Texas Tech’s Zane Kemp, the scheduled pitchers for Saturday, will start today. The winning team will play Oklahoma State at 4 p.m.

The Trojans suffered their first loss of the NCAA playoffs in Saturday’s first game, 9-3, to Oklahoma State. Cowboy freshman Jon Adkins, who started only six games all season, held USC to three runs over seven innings and Dave Maurer held the Trojans to one hit in the eighth and ninth.

USC starter Seth Etherton struggled with his control from the start, giving up six runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. The sophomore right-hander threw 33 pitches in a marathon first inning and had more than 50 by the end of the second, as Oklahoma State took a 3-0 lead.

“I was proud of Seth, the way he battled after an inning like [the first],” USC Coach Mike Gillespie said. “He held his composure, but we didn’t give him any help.”

For the first time in the playoffs, USC failed at the plate. After scoring 35 runs on 41 hits in their first two games, the Trojans managed only nine hits Saturday.

USC loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth inning, still trailing, 3-0. Ryan Stromsborg hit a hard shot up the middle, but Adkins gloved it and started a 1-2-3 double play. The next batter, Paul Cruz, brought the score to 3-2 with a two-run double, but Oklahoma State countered with six runs in the final four innings.

“Give them credit,” said Etherton, who walked five. “We knew they could hit and they did, and we had some tough outs that could have just as easily gone for hits.”

If the winner of the Texas Tech-USC game defeats Oklahoma State in the second game today, a deciding game will be held Monday.

Texas Tech 13, Fresno State 2--The Red Raiders eliminated the Bulldogs behind a strong performance from junior Matt White, who pitched a six-hit, complete game while striking out ten.

Fresno State (36-24) did not hit a ball out of the infield until the ninth inning, and every Texas Tech starter had a hit. Catcher David Lindstrom was three for five with two runs batted in.