UCLA
27-24-1
USC
34-22-1
UCLA Drops Pac-12 Tourney Opener to USC, 6-4
May 23, 2023 | Baseball
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Austin Overn had a game-high five RBIs to lead #4 USC to a 6-4 win over #7 UCLA on Tuesday afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium in the opening game of the 2023 Pac-12 Tournament for both teams.
With the loss, the Bruins (27-24-1) must win tomorrow's pool play game against #3 Washington to have any chance to advance to tourney semifinals, slated for Friday.
Junior right fielder JonJon Vaughns figured in the scoring of all four of UCLA's runs on Tuesday.
Vaughns plated the first run of the game in the top of the third inning, doubling into the right-center field gap with one out and later scoring after Daylen Reyes hit a ball into the 5-6 hole that kicked off USC shortstop Ryan Jackson and into left field.
After USC answered with a single run in the bottom half of the third, Vaughns put the Bruins back ahead in the very next half-inning with a bases-clearing double into the left-field corner, bringing in three to give the Bruins a 4-1 advantage. UCLA had previously loaded the bases on walks to Darius Perry, Knox Loposer, and Jarrod Hocking.
Behind Overn, USC would put up a crooked number in both the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead for good. The freshman center fielder hit a game-tying three-run homer in the fifth, then followed with a go-ahead two-run triple a frame later to cap the game's scoring.
UCLA starter Jake Brooks took the loss, allowing five earned runs and striking out five over 5 2/3 innings. He was strong in the early going, with USC mustering just a single run – unearned at that – over the first four innings of the game. He faced the minimum in the first and needed just seven pitches to retire the side in a 1-2-3 second.
Right-handed relievers Chris Aldrich and Charles Harrison closed the game with a scoreless inning apiece for UCLA.
First pitch between UCLA and Washington is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Connolly, Caden (3-1)
L: Brooks, Jake (6-6)
S: Wisch, Kyle (7)
Batting:
2B: Vaughns, JonJon 2
RBI: Vaughns, JonJon 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Perry, Darius 1 ; Loposer, Knox 1 ; Hocking, Jarrod 1 ; Vaughns, JonJon 1
SB: Reyes, Daylen 1 ; Perry, Darius 1
HBP: Karros, Kyle 1
Batting:
2B: Lopez, Nick 1
3B: Overn, Austin 1
HR: Overn, Austin 1
RBI: Overn, Austin 5 ; Grudzielanek, Bryce 1
SH: Jackson, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Overn, Austin 1 ; Lopez, Nick 3 ; Jackson, Ryan 2
SB: Wells, Carson 1
