BERKELEY, Calif. – In the immediate aftermath of one of the most memorable games in recent Cal baseball history, freshman Andrew Vaughn looked the part of a hero.
 
He might need a few new buttons on his home white jersey.
 
A chilly night in Berkeley ended in unforgettable fashion as the Pac-12 leader in home runs turned a bases-loaded, two-outs in the ninth situation into a game-winning grand slam, his second home run of the evening, to send the Bears to a 13-9 win over USC at Evans Diamond.
 
The night's final at-bat came with plenty of drama. A double by Max Flower got Cal (17-18, 9-7 Pac-12) started and a bunt single by Preston Grand Pre put two runners on against USC closer Bryce Dyrda. After a ground out moved Grand Pre up 90 feet and a strikeout brought the second out of the inning, Jeffrey Mitchell, Jr. worked a crucial walk to load the bases for Vaughn.
 
Having swung through a Dyrda fastball already in the at-bat, Vaughn did just what he did earlier in the game – went the other way. His ball sliced into the right field corner and landed over the retired numbers on the fence, touching off Cal's most jubilant celebration of the season to date and leaving Vaughn with a seven-RBI night.
 
"Every kid dreams of that right there. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, bases loaded," Vaughn said. "I figured they were going to nitpick me and try to (have me) get myself out. I just thought about staying super simple. I had one swing where I kind of swung out of my shoes a little bit. I checked myself and realized hey, put a good swing on the ball and do what you've got to do. I connected with a fastball outside and got it in the air enough."
 
Vaughn's home run provided the final blow in a night filled with big performances. Two Cal errors helped USC score five runs in the eighth inning to take the lead, but Denis Karas evened the score with one of the most emphatic home runs in recent Evans Diamond history, driving a two-run shot over the scoreboard and onto the roof of the Recreational Sports Facility.
 
Through seven innings, Cal owned a 7-4 lead that looked like it might be good enough to get the job done. An explosive first inning saw USC (18-18, 5-8) score three runs in the top of the inning and Cal counter with four in the bottom thanks in large part to a three-run home run by Vaughn. The Bears added two more in the fourth on an RBI double by Tyrus Greene and a run that scored on a passed ball.
 
Freshman Jared Horn got the start on the mound for the Bears and worked into the sixth inning, allowing four runs (three earned). Tanner Dodson worked two innings in relief and Erik Martinez improved to 2-2 on the season by throwing the final inning and a third. Vaughn, who now has 10 home runs on the season, and Karas were the lone Bears to collect multiple hits on the evening and Cal finished with nine as a team. 
 
Cal and USC will tangle in game two of their three-game series on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. at Evans Diamond. Game three of the series is set for 1:05 p.m. on Sunday and will be preceded by the annual "Bark at the Park" day which includes a Pup Parade before the game begins. Fans who want to bring their dogs to the game must also provide proof of current vaccinations. Updates from the remaining two games of the series can be found by following Cal Baseball on Twitter (@Cal_Baseball).