USC Is on Its Game in Beating Loyola

USC took control of the NCAA baseball regional at Cal State Fullerton Saturday night with the solid pitching, relentless hitting and nearly flawless defense that fueled the Trojans’ late-season drive to the playoffs.

Top-seeded USC extended its winning streak to 12 games with a 13-5 victory over third-seeded Loyola Marymount before 2,342.

USC (40-18) will play in today’s final against either second-seeded Cal State Fullerton or Loyola Marymount, who played an elimination game late Saturday night. At press time, Fullerton led, 3-0, after three innings.

Today’s game starts at 1 p.m. A second game, if necessary, will be played 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first.

The winner of the Fullerton regional will play the winner of the regional at Georgia Tech in a super regional next weekend. Super-regional sites will be announced Monday.

Winners of the eight super regionals advance to the College World Series in Omaha.

Twelve-time national champion USC followed up Friday’s 15-hit performance against Virginia Tech with 18 hits against Loyola.

“On back-to-back days, we have gotten great at-bats throughout the lineup,” USC Coach Mike Gillespie said.

Most of the damage against Loyola came from the top and bottom of the Trojan batting order.

Lead-off hitter Seth Davidson was five for six with two runs batted in and scored twice. Outfielder Rob Garibaldi, who bats second, had three hits and four RBIs.

The Trojans also got exceptional production from their Nos. 7-8-9 hitters. First baseman Alberto Concepcion had two hits and scored three runs, outfielder Brian Barre had two hits and scored twice, and outfielder Abel Montanez had three hits and scored three times.

“When we get on, [usually] the big guys bring us around,” said Davidson, who is seven for 10 with six RBIs in the regional. “It seemed tonight, we were the guys that brought the other guys around.”

Sophomore right-hander Mark Prior (9-6) did his part, pitching 7 2/3 innings that prevented the Trojans from using up their bullpen. Prior, who transferred from Vanderbilt before this season, gave up five runs, eight hits and struck out eight.

Ronald Flores finished for his third save.

USC overcame a 2-0 deficit in the third inning, a 5-3 deficit in the sixth and broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth to beat Loyola for the third time this season.

Barre delivered the key blow in the eighth inning on a 3-and-1 pitch by starter Michael Schultz (9-6), breaking the tie with a triple off the fence in right-center field that scored Concepcion, who was hit by a pitch to start the inning.

“[Gillespie] gave me the take [sign],” Barre said, laughing. “I missed it.”

Two outs later, Garibaldi hit a ground ball up the middle that second baseman Anthony Angel dived for and gloved. Angel’s throw, however, was off line to first and Garibaldi’s infield hit scored Barre to make it 7-5.

Chris Gray replaced Schultz and walked Justin Gemoll before giving up a single to Beau Craig that put the Trojans ahead, 8-5.

Loyola had the tying run at the plate with two out and runners at first and second in the eighth, but Flores got Scott Walter to pop out to short.

The Trojans scored five runs in the ninth.

Fullerton (37-20) advanced to Saturday night’s elimination game with an 8-6 victory over Virginia Tech (34-25-2) earlier in the day.

Fullerton, the visiting team for the game, blew a 6-1 lead by giving up five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Jake Epstein led off the Titan ninth by hitting a pitch from Hokie reliever Anthony Miller off the left field fence for a double.

Miller struck out Aaron Rikfin, but Chris Beck hit an 0-and-1 pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run homer.

“The first pitch, he hung a curve ball and I was angry for not swinging at it,” Beck said. “The second pitch was slow. I reached out, and didn’t think I got all of it.”