April 6, 2012
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, CALIF -
USC's James Roberts hit a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off of Cal closer Logan Scott to lead the Trojans to a 2-1 win over the Golden Bears Friday night (April 6) at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles. USC improved to 18-10 overall and 4-6 in Pac-12 play, while Cal drops to 17-11 and 2-6 in league. The Trojans also tied the series, 1-1, as the Bears had won Thursday night's game, 5-4, under similar circumstances.
Down 4-0, Cal scored five runs in the last four innings on Thursday, highlighted by Mitch Delfino's game-tying single and Tony Renda's game-winning double in the top of the ninth inning for the 5-4 win. After Delfino's and Renda's heroics, senior right-hander Joey Donofrio earned his first collegiate save by striking out the side in the Trojan's bottom of the ninth.
The two teams will now play the rubber match on Saturday, April 7 at 1 p.m. at Dedeaux Field. The Cal-USC series final will be broadcasted on both KALX 90.7 FM and KNEW 960 AM.
The two runs Scott yielded in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday overshadowed an outstanding pitching effort from the Bears' senior right-hander Matt Flemer, who threw 7.2 innings with four hits, no runs, two walks and six strikeouts. It was Scott's first loss of the season (3-1).
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Scott gave up two hits and hit a batter. He had forced two outs and had runners on second and third base when he gave up the single to Roberts that went through the left side of the infield.
Cal scored its lone run Friday in the sixth inning when junior designated hitter Vince Bruno led off with a single to left field off of USC's Andrew Triggs (3-3, 9.0 innings, six hits, one run, three walks, eight strikeouts). Junior third baseman Delfino sacrificed Bruno to second base, followed by Renda's infield single to third base. Senior catcher Chadd Krist then scored Bruno with a sacrifice fly to center field
Both teams finished the contest with six hits. Delfino and sophomore first baseman Andrew Knapp each had two hits apiece for the Bears.
