Baseball embodies meaning of fight on


There have been defining moments in my time as a Trojan when “fight on” wasn’t just a phrase, but a palpable feeling, a moment in time that I wish I could put in my back pocket and save for a rainy day. On Sunday, I went to sleep after midnight, exhausted and heartbroken after watching the baseball team lose in extra innings to Virginia. Though it was a tough loss, I couldn’t help but walk away feeling like the team could easily be looking at a trophy next season. The Lake Elsinore Regional was an uphill battle for the Trojans after dropping the first game to Virginia and falling into the loser’s bracket, but the team advanced to the regional final, always finding a way to fight on.

After narrowly missing the tournament last season, the Trojans displayed the fight of a team that was hungry to make up for its past absences. Their opening game against Virginia began with flawless defense by USC, with junior starter Kyle Davis boasting a no-hitter through six innings. That was as far as the defense held up, and with the bats failing to come alive, the Trojans lost their opening match to last year’s runner up, 6-1.

Immediately falling into the loser’s bracket makes for an unlikely trip to the Super Regional. The Trojans didn’t advance out of Lake Elsinore, but their following two games demonstrated their grit, talent and potential for the upcoming season.

To keep their season alive, the Trojans called on their teamwork and trust in each other to give them the edge. Kyle Twomey led the Trojans to a 12-3 statement win over UC Santa Barbara. The final score does not reflect the battle the Trojans fought to stay alive to face SDSU. When the defense failed, the offense was there to keep the season alive, and vice versa. Heading into the eighth inning with a 5-1 lead, the Gauchos plated two runs to cut the Trojans’ lead to 5-3 and load the bases with two outs. Junior lefty Tyler Gilbert came in and got a crucial strikeout to end the inning and ensure that his teammate Twomey would get the win.

SDSU threatened to end the Trojans’ season early in an elimination game for both teams, taking a 3-0 lead after two innings. The Trojans answered with seven runs over three innings to take a 7-3 lead as freshman starter Mitch Hart settled down and did not allow any more runs. The Aztecs began to figure Hart out and took an 11-7 lead through the eighth inning. The Trojans were able to score two runs in the eighth to come within 11-9 but still entered the ninth trailing by two runs. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Jeremy Martinez drove in two runs with a single to take a 12-11 lead. Even with only one out standing between them and the end of their season, the Trojans managed to stay alive yet again.

Though the season came to an end against Virginia, the Trojans’ playoff run capped an exciting season that included an impressive weekend of wins against TCU, Vanderbilt and UCLA at the Dodger Stadium Baseball Classic in March.

The Trojans will lose senior starters Dante Flores and Garrett Stubbs, along with Angelo La Bruna and Omar Cotto Lozada. Stubbs was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year as well as a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award. His leadership, talent and calm presence behind the plate will be missed next season, but the Trojans will have something that not a single member of this squad had — experience.

All in all, things are looking up for the 12-time national champs. Head coach Dan Hubbs has turned the team around in only three seasons, and assuming that the non-seniors opt to return, the team will only get better with experience. But if you’re having a hard time accepting that the season is over, take solace in the fact that UCLA, a No. 1 seed and host of their regional, didn’t advance to the Super Regional either, which they would’ve hosted.

Reagan Estes is a sophomore majoring in public relations. She is also the sports editor of the Daily Trojan. Her column, “Wild Wild Westes,” runs every other Wednesday.