By
Lindsey Manroel
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Southern California sweeps on Arizona turf
The Arizona baseball team battled all day, coming back from a 6-2 deficit to force extra innings before losing to Pacific 10 opponent Southern California.
Arizona fell in 10 innings, 8-7, giving the No. 9 Trojans a three-game sweep at UA's Sancet Field.
"We played really hard," infielder Matt Abram said. "(Despite the loss), we fought really hard and brought everything we had out there."
The Wildcats could not get their momentum started as the Trojans rallied for four runs in the first two innings.
Arizona would slowly come back, cutting into a 6-0 lead with two runs in the third inning.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, trailing by two, infielder Brad Hassey tripled - tying the score at 7, and forcing UA's first extra inning game of the season.
However, the tenth inning proved to be unsuccessful.
The Trojans would add one more run in the top half and Arizona didn't have an answer.
Despite the loss, Hassey went 5 for 6 with three singles, one double, one triple and two RBIs.
"It was a good day for me, but not for the entire team," he said.
Southern California's Bill Peavy added two RBIs on a first inning triple - starting the Trojans' first inning momentum.
"I thought that I swung the bat really well," Peavy said. "There is always that concern that you are not going to win, but we came up strong to force the win."
The Wildcats could not hold onto a 4-1 lead Saturday afternoon as USC walked away with the win, 6-4.
Despite the losing effort, outfielder Shelley Duncan exploded with his 13th home run of the season - driving in three runs with the hit - as Arizona jumped out to an early lead.
However, after USC's Michael Moon hit a two-run blast over the right field wall - sending Southern California on a four-run fifth inning - the Trojans saddled Arizona starter Sean Rierson with the loss.
On Friday, USC's ace Mark Prior - considered one of the nation's best - proved it with an 8-0 victory.
The USC pitcher recorded 15 strikeouts and zero walks, while allowing three hits.
Prior - who threw 104 pitches - recorded 83 of those for strikes.
In the loss, freshman Brian Anderson, senior Ernie Durazo and junior Justyn St. Clair were the only Wildcats to reach base.
The three-game series sweep extends the Trojans to a four game winning streak - recording a 19-10 overall record, 4-2 record in the Pac-10.
Arizona now stands at 19-15 overall (2-4 in the Pac-10) acknowledges what it will take in order to defeat a top-ranked school like USC.
"We need better consistency," Hassey said. "We hit the ball well but we are lacking the consistency it takes to win."
The Wildcats face off against Oregon State for a two-game series beginning Friday at 7 p.m.
