LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Bobby Stahel scored four times and Brent Wheatly worked seven strong innings as No. 6 USC defeated Washington State 10-3 in the Pac-12 Conference opener for both teams Friday evening at Dedeaux Field.
The Cougars (11-6, 0-1) opened the scoring in the first as Shea Donlin, returning to the lineup for the first time since the opening weekend, singled to left then moved to third on Wes Hatten's single. One out later, Donlin came home on P.J. Jones' sacrifice fly.
The lead was quickly erased in the bottom of the frame as Stahel led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored on Jeremy Martinez's RBI single to left. Martinez later scored on a single through the right side by Blake Lacey for the 2-1 lead.
USC (16-2, 1-0) added runs in the second and third, the first on an RBI single by Garrett Stubbs and the second on an AJ Ramirez RBI single, pushing the lead to 4-1. That was enough for Wheatly (2-1), who went seven innings, surrendering two runs, one earned, with eight strikeouts.
WSU cut the deficit in half in the fifth thanks to an RBI single by Hatten, scoring Shane Matheny who reached on an error.
USC broke the game open in the sixth, scoring four runs, and added two more in the seventh to make it a 10-2 game. WSU closed out the scoring in the ninth when Tyler McDowell, who singled with one out, came home on an error.
WSU starter Sean Hartnett, who had won his last three decisions, suffered the loss as he lasted just three innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. In all, five pitchers took the hill for WSU, with Jesse Houser the most effective, working two perfect innings. Hatten, Jones and McDowell each had two hits to account for six of WSU's seven hits on the night.
USC was led by Stahel who went four-for-five with four runs scored, while Timmy Robinson drove in three on two hits and Martinez added two hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
These same two teams continue the series Saturday night at 6 p.m. in a game televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
