CORVALLIS, Ore. — After 10 years, you’d count on there to be some rust. Perhaps some angst. At the very least some nerves. Not for USC baseball collaborating in its first NCAA match sport in a decade.
The Trojans performed free and free as they piled up 14 hits and took benefit of 13 freebies (9 walks, 4 hit batters) in a 13-1 victory in opposition to No. 22 Texas Christian on Friday afternoon within the opening sport of the Corvallis Regional.
USC constantly produced powerful at-bats, going deep into counts early. It compelled TCU to cycle by means of its bullpen after chasing starter Tommy LaPour, an All-Large 12 first-team choice, within the fourth inning.
9-hole hitter Richard Tejeda was a catalyst for the Trojans. He drove within the sport’s first run with a two-out single within the second inning. The USC catcher put his physique on the road within the backside half of the inning, banging into the dugout railing whereas hustling over to catch a foul pop.
USC pitcher Caden Aoki, proper, talks with catcher Richard Tejeda throughout Friday’s sport in opposition to TCU.
(Shotgun Spratling / For The Instances)
Two innings later, a bunt by Tejeda loaded the bases when he beat out the play for the second of his three hits, ending LaPour’s day. TCU reliever Louis Rodriguez did a superb job limiting the harm, getting a strikeout, a fielder’s alternative and a flyout, however USC had taken a 3-0 lead and by no means appeared again.
“I think getting out of the chute early was beneficial for sure. Getting on the board early with the big knock by Richie,” USC coach Andy Stankiewicz stated. “We just kind of built on that momentum. Then we just felt like with Caden [Aoki] on the mound, we just play good defense, he’s going to pump strikes. He’s not going to give any freebies. That’s exactly what he did.”
Aoki, USC’s senior beginning pitcher, diced up a proficient however younger TCU lineup, mixing 4 pitches for strikes on either side of the plate.
House plate umpire Clint Fagan alerts out after USC catcher Richard Tejeda, heart, makes a catch in foul territory in opposition to TCU on Friday.
(Shotgun Spratling / For The Instances)
“He’s really good. He’s got four pitches he can throw in any count,” stated TCU coach Kirk Saarloos, a former Cal State Fullerton All-American pitcher. “Pitched in really well to kind of get the bat sped up and then being able to throw the offspeed in the zone and out of the zone.
“A senior that’s been around the block a bunch. Heartbeat was super slow and did a good job of pitching. I mean that’s the best thing you can say about him. He’s a complete pitcher, one that competes and knows who he is.”
For a group that prides itself on having the ability to put on pitchers down, TCU couldn’t create offensive momentum in opposition to Aoki. Their lone spotlight got here within the fourth inning when star freshman Sawyer Strosnider drove a ball out to proper area for a solo residence run. However that was the one mistake Aoki made. The one time the Horned Frogs obtained a runner in scoring place was when an outfielder obtained tangled up going again on a ball that resulted in a two-out double that was shortly wiped away by a flyout.
Aoki credited pitching coach Sean Allen, who labored underneath TCU offensive coordinator Invoice Mosiello the final two years when each have been at Ohio State, with developing with a terrific sport plan and recognizing early the Horned Frogs’ plan of assault.
“Coach Allen noticed pretty early that they were sitting soft, so we were able to get ahead with fastballs, which was really nice. It seemed like they were taking a lot of them,” Aoki stated. “To be able to execute quality strikes in and out with my fastball was really big for me. Not just strikes, but quality strikes. When I’m able to keep the ball down with my fastball and pinpoint it and not just throw it in there for a strike, that’s when I know I’m going good.”
The precise-hander stored the Horned Frogs’ offense at bay, going through simply three over the minimal in eight sterling innings. He struck out six, yielding one run on 4 hits whereas delivering 80 of his 114 pitches for strikes.
With Aoki cruising, the offense didn’t must do a lot, however the Trojans constructed momentum as the sport progressed.
USC pitcher Caden Aoki delivers throughout a 13-1 win over TCU on Friday.
(Shotgun Spratling / For The Instances)
Tejeda obtained a USC rally began within the sixth inning when he lined the primary pitch to heart area for a single. Two pitches and two bunt singles later, the bases have been loaded for the center of USC’s lineup. Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek blooped a single off the glove of the second baseman to plate a run. Adrian Lopez adopted with a run-scoring single, and an Abbrie Covarrubias sacrifice fly made it 6-1. The Trojans added three extra within the subsequent inning with Lopez supplying a two-run single.
USC tacked on 4 extra runs within the ninth inning to provide the Trojans their largest margin of victory within the postseason since a 25-9 win over North Carolina Greensboro in 1994.
“We’re playing with a chip on our shoulder,” Aoki stated. “To put on this uniform and win the first game after making a regional against a really good opponent, it’s a surreal feeling. We’re going to keep going.”
With the victory, USC advances to the winner’s bracket the place it’ll face the winner of tonight’s matchup between Saint Mary’s and regional host Oregon State, the No. 8 nationwide seed. The Trojans will play Saturday at 6 p.m. PDT.
