Baseball Drops First Game to USC 7-3

OGDEN – The Utah baseball team dropped its series opener to the USC Trojans 7-3 on Thursday night at Lindquist Field in Ogden, Utah.
 
The Utes generated their runs with two home runs on the evening with Rykker Tom hitting a solo shot and Christopher Rowan, Jr. hitting a two-run shot.
 
Justin Kelly got the start for Utah and kept the trojans off the board through three innings, but they struck for two runs in the fourth to go up 2-0. In the bottom half of the inning, Tom jacked his solo shot to cut USC's lead in half at 2-1.
 
USC added another run in the sixth and then crossed the plate four times in the seventh to go up 7-1. With a runner on in the bottom of the seventh, Rowan hit a two-run home run to get the Utes within four.
 
In the ninth, Utah got two runners on putting pressure on the Trojans, but USC got out of the jam to preserve the victory.
 
Jaylon McLaughlin went 3-4 on the evening and had his 24th steal of the season. Matt Richardson reached base all five times he came to the plate. He went 3-3 with one double and two singles and was hit twice.
 
Kelly gave up five runs on 10 hits in 6.2 innings pitched. Ian MacIver came in and shut the Trojans down in the eighth and the ninth only giving up one hit.
 
The Utes will celebrate 11 seniors in tomorrow's game with USC. The ceremony for the seniors will be before the game at 6 p.m. at Lindquist Field in Ogden, Utah.