Baseball reaches tournament after 10 years


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The Trojans will play in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005 after winning their final regular season baseball series against No. 16 Arizona State (34-19, 18-10). The Trojans’ overall record improves to 37-19 overall and 18-12 in conference play, their best record since 2001. The record was enough to tie for third place in the Pac-12 with ASU and California.

On Friday, the Trojans dropped the first game of the series to the Sun Devils, 11-3. Junior starter Kyle Davis gave up an early three-run home run to the Sun Devils before finishing his night with six strikeouts over six innings, with three walks on five hits.

Junior Timmy Robinson had a solo home run for the Trojans, as did senior Dante Flores. Flores went 2-for-3 on the night. The Trojans were able to pull within two runs behind the offense of Robinson and Flores, but the Sun Devils scored more runs off of three Trojan relievers and won, 11-3.

Flores’s bat was again key for the Trojans, as he led the team to a Game 2 win, 7-4. Flores hit a triple to clear the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning and fuel the Trojans to victory. Robinson and junior David Oppenheim each had two-run RBIs as well. Robinson also had a solo home run for the second-straight night.

The game was tied at two a piece in the bottom of the seventh inning when Flores’s triple gave the Trojans the lead. Senior Garrett Stubbs singled, sophomore Jeremy Martinez and Robinson each drew a walk, and Flores tripled to center field. The Trojans held on for the win to even the series 1-1.

Junior Bobby Stahel concluded his impressive offensive season with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to lift the Trojans to a Game 3 win, 6-3, and to take the series. Stahel also had a big defensive play, as he made the last out in the top of the ninth with a diving grab.

Stubbs, who is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, caught two runners trying to steal to cap his senior season. Redshirt sophomore Reggie Southall and junior A.J. Ramirez got on base for Stahel, who gave the Trojans a 4-2 lead with a home run. The Trojans put two more runs on the board before the end of the game to win, 6-2.

The Trojans are the No. 2 seed in the Lake Elsinore Regional and will play No. 3 seed Virginia on Friday at 3 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN. The host,     No. 1 UCSB, will play No. 4 San Diego State.