USC Baseball Falters in Series Opener at Oregon State

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The USC baseball team jumped on top early, but gave up five unearned runs to fall late at Oregon State, 5-4, on Friday afternoon in Corvallis.
 
USC falls to 19-20 overall and 7-12 in Pac-12 play with the loss, with the Beavers moving to 30-14, 12-7.
 
The Trojans started hot, scoring in each of the first three innings to take a 4-0 lead. Trojan starter Isaac Esqueda made that lead hold up for most of the day, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before he gave up his first hit and only runs of the day when Oregon State scored three unearned in the frame.
 
After Quentin Longrie came in and stranded a pair to end the sixth with USC still ahead, the Beavers got to Longrie in the eighth with a run-scoring triple and sac fly to take the lead. Both of those runs were unearned as well after an error allowed the leadoff man to reach in the inning.
 
Ben Ramirez and Tyresse Turner each had sacrifice flies, Clay Owens homered and D'Andre Smith had an RBI groundout to give USC the early lead. For Owens, the solo-shot was his 11th of the year, putting him tied for second in the Pac-12.
 
TOP PERFORMERS

• Isaac Esqueda: 5.2 IP, H, 3UER, 3BB, 2K
• Clay Owens: 1-for-3, solo-HR, HBP
• D'Andre Smith: 2-for-4, RBI, R

 
UP NEXT
The Trojans continue their series at Oregon State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and then wrap things up on Sunday at 12 p.m. Both games will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.