USC Baseball Wins Season Finale Slugfest at Utah, 17-11
OGDEN, Utah – It was a wild end to the 2021 season on Saturday as the USC baseball team powered its way to a 17-11 comeback victory over Utah on the road.
The Trojans came back from an early 7-1 deficit in a game that saw the lead change hands four times. USC finishes the year 25-26 overall and 13-17 in Pac-12 play after taking two-of-three in the series, while Utah closes the campaign at 17-33 overall and 7-23 in conference action.
It was the final game of Utah Head Coach Bill Kinneberg's 37-year career as the longtime Ute manager was honored before the game.
Utah jumped on top with five runs in the first inning, and then after a USC run in the third, the Utes scored two more in the bottom half of the frame to make it 7-1.
The advantage was short-lived, however, as the Trojans put up eight runs in the top of the fourth. Ben Ramirez tied the game with a three-run shot in the inning and Tyler Pritchard put USC ahead with an RBI double. Pritchard would also score on a passed ball to make it a 9-7 USC advantage.
Ramirez and Pritchard, both likely playing in their final games for the Trojans, each had three RBI on the day. Garret Guillemette posted a four-hit day, driving in runs in the third and seventh, and scoring twice as well.
Utah put up a run in the bottom of the fourth before retaking the lead, 10-9, by scoring on a pair of wild pitches in the fifth.
It was another big inning that finally put USC on top for good, as the visiting Trojans scored seven runs in the top of the seventh. Clay Owens tied the game with a solo-home run to lead off the inning, and then Brady Shockey, Guillemette and Bart West each followed with RBI singles. Pritchard would put the exclamation point on the frame, tripling to center to bring home two runs and then scoring on the play due to an error by Utah.
Pritchard's three hits and three RBI both matched career highs for the fifth-year senior. He also scored three times in the game, one off his career best.
USC's 17 runs and 17 hits were both season highs for the club. Ten different Trojan players recorded hits in the game and nine drove in runs, including four USC players with multi-RBI games.
Toby Spach picked up the win as the pitcher of record for the Trojans in the seventh after tossing 2.0 relief innings. Garrett Clarke finished the game throwing 2.0 scoreless relief innings for USC.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Tyler Pritchard: 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 3R, 2 2B, 3B
- Garret Guillemette: 4-for-6, 2 RBI, 2R
- Ben Ramirez: 1-for-3, 3 RBI, 2R, 3-R HR, 2BB