March 28, 2017
LOS ANGELES - For the second time in three weeks, USC held the San Diego State scoreless over nine innings, this time registering a 2-0 victory over SDSU Tuesday evening at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles. SDSU could not dent the run column in two meetings with the Trojans this season, losing by a 1-0 score line San Diego back on March 7.
USC opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when Matthew Acosta's long drive hit the scoreboard in right field. It was the first home run of the year for the freshman outfielder.
That run came against Aztec starting pitcher Ray Lambert, who threw well despite allowing the home run. He ended up tossing three full innings, allowing the run on three hits while striking out two. That one run, however, would make him the losing pitcher and drop his record to 0-1 on the year.
The Aztec offense was held in check by a trio of USC hurlers beginning with starter Mason Perryman, who went five innings scattering five hits, all singles. The Aztecs did put two men on with one out in the fifth, but couldn't find the hit they needed to get on the board. Perryman would be credited with the win to improve to 5-2.
USC got an insurance run in the bottom of the eight, that coming against SDSU lefty Jacob Erickson. David Edson led off the frame with a single and moved up a base on a wild pitch. After advancing to third on a ground out to second base, he scored on Corey Dempster's ground ball through a drawn-in infield to make it 2-0.
The Aztecs made it interesting in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with no outs on singles by Andrew Brown and Danny Sheehan plus a walk to Jordan Verdon.
But Trojan closer Bryce Dyrda got Tyler Adkison to ground back to the mound for a force at the plate, then followed that up with strikeouts of Andrew Martinez and David Hensley to close out the contest. In the process, Dyrda picked up his third save of the season.
Andrew Brown and Martinez had two singles apiece as the duo accounted for over half of SDSU's hits in the contest.
The Aztecs will now return home to prepare for a three-game Mountain West series against San Jose State this coming weekend. That set gets underway on Friday, March 31, with a game at 6:00 p.m. PT at Tony Gwynn Stadium.