USC Baseball Drops Home Finale to No. 25 Arizona State, 10-7

LOS ANGELES – Ben Ramirez homered twice, but the USC baseball team couldn't keep pace with No. 25 Arizona State in their final home game of the year on Sunday afternoon at Dedeaux Field, falling 10-7 to the Sun Devils.
 
Ramirez's second homer was a three-run shot that pulled USC to within one in the eighth, but it wasn't enough as ASU added three more in the ninth to drop USC to 23-25 overall on the season and 11-16 in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils improve to 32-17 overall and 16-11 in conference action.
 
The Trojans pulled to within one twice on the day, but giving up six runs over the final two innings was too much to overcome for the USC offense. Ramirez put the Trojans up 2-0 with a two-run shot in the first inning, but Arizona State scored a pair of runs in both the second and fifth innings to take the lead.
 
Garret Guillemette's solo-homer in the bottom of the fifth made it a 4-3 contest, but the visiting Sun Devils broke things open with a three-run top of the eighth. Ramirez's second homer of the day again made things close, but Nate Baez completed a five-RBI day with a two-run double for ASU in the ninth as part of another three-run frame.
 
Jamal O'Guinn gave USC life with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, but that was it for the Trojan rally.
 
Alex Cornwell took the loss for USC and Kai Murphy got the win for the visitors.
 
TOP PERFORMERS

• Ben Ramirez: 2-for-5, 5 RBI, 2 HR
• Garret Guillemette: 2-for-3, RBI, HR
• Jamal O'Guinn: 1-for-3, RBI, R

 
UP NEXT
The Trojans close out the regular season on the road at Utah, with a three-game series starting on Thursday. All three games will be played in Ogden, Utah and will be streamed live via Pac-12+.