LOS ANGELES – Aaron Shortridge has played a variety of roles for the Cal baseball team throughout the 2018 season, and whether he has come out of the bullpen or started in a key game, the junior right-hander has delivered a level of consistency that has established him as one of the Pac-12's top pitchers.
 
On Sunday, Shortridge assumed the role of stopper and delivered yet again as his complete game effort set the tone and four home runs provided the offense that helped the Bears leave Los Angeles with a critical 6-2 victory in the last of three games at Dedeaux Field.
 
One day after a 14-inning marathon taxed Cal's bullpen, Shortridge took the ball with the knowledge that a sustained start would go a long way towards putting the Bears in a position to win. Early on, that outcome looked like it might be in doubt as the Napa, Calif. surrendered 10 hits over the first five innings and Cal trailed 2-1.
 
But, even as USC was creating traffic on the basepaths, Shortridge's ability to stay in the strike zone allowed him to keep Cal (26-19, 11-13 Pac-12) in the ballgame. By filling the zone, Shortridge eventually settled into a groove that allowed him to settle in and cut through the USC lineup without allowing a runner over the final four innings.
 
"Honestly that was the battle the whole day, just finding a rhythm," Shortridge said. "I never really felt like I did but I tried to do my best to compete and throw strikes. I don't think I got ahead of anyone all day but I was able to keep the ball down when I needed to and get guys out. That's how you win games."
 
With Shortridge's effort keeping Cal in contact, the offense came alive in the late innings to produce a win. Freshman Sam Wezniak lit the fuse in the eighth inning, lining the first pitch he saw from USC starter Solomon Bates over the left field fence for a solo home run that tied the score.
 
Two batters later, Andrew Vaughn put the Bears in front for the first time, crushing a 3-1 offering off the netting that protects the scoreboard in right-center field for his 21^st home run of the season. USC (21-22, 9-15) went to the bullpen but Cal wasn't done as Jonah Davis punctuated the rally with a towering home run, his second of the day, to dead center field to put the Bears ahead 4-2.
 
The Bears added two more runs in the ninth, keyed by an RBI single by Tyrus Greene and run-scoring walk by Tanner Dodson. Shortridge jumped out of the dugout and didn't waste any time in ending the proceedings, setting the Trojans down in order to finish the day with a stat line of nine innings pitched, two runs, 10 hits, no walks and four strikeouts.
 
"I think our guys did fight hard the first two games," Cal head coach Mike Neu said. "I don't think there was any lack of effort in any of those games. I think we just fell short in a couple areas. We fell short on the mound last game a little bit in that one inning and today we probably were pressing a little bit early. Guys came up big. We had four solo home runs and you can't say enough about Shortridge and the way he pitched. A day game, we have barely any bullpen left and for him to go out and throw a complete game, that's exactly what we needed and he gave it to us.

Davis led an eight-hit afternoon with a pair of monster home runs, pushing his season total to 13 in the process. Vaughn's home run ties him with Mike Harrison (1990) for third on Cal's single-season list and moves him into sole possession of sixth on Cal's career list with 33. And, Greene was again a catalyst at the top of the lineup with two hits in the leadoff spot.
 
Cal now turns its attention to the final home series of the 2018 season as it prepares to host Arizona for three Pac-12 games beginning on Friday. The series opener will begin at 7:05 p.m., Saturday's game is set for a 6:05 p.m. start and Sunday's finale will get rolling at 1:05 p.m. Sunday's game will double as Senior Day as Cal's five seniors are honored before the game.