USC’s Streak Ends in LSU’s 10-4 Romp

USC’s road to the College World Series was paved with consistently crisp play that helped the Trojans produce a nation’s-longest winning streak and a series-opening victory over Florida State.

The road to the championship game, for the second time in three years, became bumpy and fraught with hazards after playing Louisiana State.

LSU first baseman Brad Hawpe hit two three-run home runs Monday to lead the Tigers to a 10-4 victory over USC before 23,185 in Rosenblatt Stadium.

USC (44-19) will play Florida State, a 6-2 winner Monday night over Texas, in an elimination game today. The winner plays LSU (50-17) on Thursday and must defeat the Tigers twice in two days to reach Saturday’s championship game.

It’s a somewhat familiar scenario for the Trojans, who lost to LSU in their first game of the 1998 World Series. USC beat Florida and Mississippi State, then defeated LSU twice on its way to a championship-game victory over Arizona State.

“I think we’re in better shape than we were two years ago because it’s one less game that we have to win [to reach the final],” USC shortstop Seth Davidson said. “By playing them today, we know what they’re about.”

USC’s 16-game winning streak ended in a mistake-prone performance. The Trojans tied a season high with four errors in their first loss since April 28.

Pitcher Mark Prior’s errant pickoff throw to first in the seventh inning was the only error that cost the Trojans a run. It set the stage for a run-scoring single by Ryan Theriot that gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead.

But miscues of any kind are fuel for the opportunistic Tigers, four times national champions.

Prior, a sophomore transfer from Vanderbilt, found that out last season when he was victimized by a grand slam in a Southeastern Conference game against the Tigers.

Prior (10-7) did not yield a hit through 5 1/3 innings Monday and had a 3-0 lead, thanks to Beau Craig’s two-run homer in the fourth inning against starter Ben Saxon and Davidson’s run-scoring single in the fifth against Trey Hodges (4-2).

“The first five innings, Prior was flying through us. The pitches he made were unhittable,” Hawpe said.

But Theriot broke up the no-hitter with a single to left field and Mike Fontenot followed with a single to right. Prior then struck out Brad Cresse, who leads the nation in homers and runs batted in, bringing up Hawpe, who needs one double to break the NCAA single-season record of 36.

Hawpe deposited a 1-and-0 change-up into the right-field bleachers.

“I felt it was the only bad pitch I made all day,” said Prior, who gave up five runs, four hits and struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings. “As soon as the ball left my hand, I thought, ‘Uh-oh, here’s a tie game.’ ”

In the seventh, Prior walked No. 9 hitter Ray Wright with one out, then threw errantly to first on a pickoff attempt, sending Wright to third. Theriot’s single to right gave the Tigers the lead.

One out later, Prior walked Cresse and was replaced by Ronald Flores. Hawpe’s infield single loaded the bases, and Theriot scored when Flores walked Blair Barbier to make the score 5-3.

Alberto Concepcion gave USC some brief hope when he homered to start the bottom of the seventh, but Hawpe capped a five-run eighth with his three-run shot against Pete Montrenes, the Trojans’ fourth pitcher in the inning.

Saxon, replaced after surrendering Craig’s homer because of a blister on his finger, and Hodges limited USC to seven hits, the first time in the playoffs and only the third time in 17 games the Trojans have had fewer than 11.

“In the end, the wheels came off and a good game turns into a blowout,” USC Coach Mike Gillespie said. “We need to get over this and get over it fast.”

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College World Series

MONDAY’S RESULTS

* Louisiana State 10, USC 4

* Florida State 6, Texas 2

TODAY’S GAMES

* Clemson (51-16) vs. Louisiana Lafayette (48-19), noon (ESPN)

* USC (44-19) vs. Florida State (52-18), 4 p.m. (ESPN2)

All times Pacific