BASE3/19/2016 5:47 AM | By: Cal Athletics
Trojans Even Series, Beat Bears 18-5
LOS ANGELES – No. 14 California (11-5, 1-1 Pac-12) fell 18-5 to the USC Trojans (8-9, 1-1 Pac-12), as USC evened the opening series of Pac-12 play on Friday night in Los Angeles at Dedeaux Field. Cal took an early 3-0 lead in the first, but the Trojans stormed back to score 15 unanswered runs with a three-spot in the bottom of the first, a seven-run frame in the second and a five-run fifth inning. Sophomore catcher Brett Cumberland hit his second home run in as many nights for the Bears, as he continued his strong 2016 campaign with a 1-for-2 night. USC third baseman Adalberto Carrillo was 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI to help pace the USC offense.
Cal jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on right-hander Brad Wegman, who made his first career start on Friday night. The Bears did their damage with two outs, when senior designated hitter Devin Pearson, who has reached safely in 15 out of Cal's 16 games in 2016, legged out an infield single on a slow roller down the third base line. Cleanup hitter, senior first baseman Brenden Farney then rapped a single back up the middle to put two on and two out for Cumberland. The Turlock, California, native continued his offensive onslaught with a three-run laser shot to right to put the Bears in front 3-0.
The Trojans responded immediately, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the first, tying things at 3-3, with a four-hit frame. Outfielder David Oppenheim walked with one down, and later scored on an RBI double by centerfielder Timmy Robinson. Robinson then came around to score on and RBI bunt single down the third base line with two outs by Carrillo to trim the lead to 3-2. It was tied moments later on an RBI infield single up the middle by outfielder Corey Dempster, who homered on Thursday night, despite a diving stop by freshman shortstop Ripken Reyes.
USC punished the Bears with a seven-spot in the bottom of the second, sending 11 men to plate, capitalizing on a pair of Cal errors. The inning was punctuated by a two-run homer by Carrillo, his fourth on the year, on a ball that kept carrying out of the ballpark to right. Martinez doubled in a pair to left field to break the tie with one out in the inning, and another run came home courtesy of Cal's second error of the inning on a grounder to short to make it 6-3. It was quickly 8-3 when first baseman AJ Ramirez pulled a double to left, and then Carrillo took reliever Tanner Dodson deep for the two-run shot.
The Trojans tacked on five more in the bottom of the fifth, as the first seven USC hitters either singled or walked to start the inning. RBI singles from Martinez, Ramirez, Carrillo and a two-run single by Dempster pushed the Trojans' lead to 15-3. The teams each scored runs in the seventh, as Cal plated a fourth on an RBI single by Farney, and USC added three more in the bottom of the inning courtesy of an RBI fielder's choice by pinch hitter David Perez and a pair of bases loaded walks drawn by Oppenheim and pinch hitter Dillon Paulson to push the lead to 18-4. Farney smashed a solo home run in the top of the ninth, his first of the year, off the scoreboard in right to pull the Bears within 18-5, which is how it ended.
Cal and USC conclude the series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. PT with the rubber game at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles. The pitching matchup has yet to have been determined. Fans are encouraged to follow along with Baseball on social media throughout the season. Get live updates during games on Twitter @Cal_Baseball, or look for updates and photos on Facebook at Facebook.com/CalBaseball and @CalBaseball on Instagram. Fans can also log on to CalBears.com for full game recaps and the latest news.
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