COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The USC baseball team forced a winner-take-all regional final with a 14-3 victory over Texas A&M on Sunday night at the College Station Regional.
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The Trojans (46-16) will face the No. 12 national seed Aggies (41-15) again Monday at 6 p.m. PT, with the winner advancing to a best-of-three super regional against No. 5 seed North Carolina (48-11-1) next weekend.
USC, facing elimination for a third consecutive game, scored four runs in the first inning. Kevin Takeuchi and Andrew Lamb each drove in runs as the Trojans took a 4-1 lead.
USC added three runs in the third inning on Lamb’s three-run home run to make it 7-1. Augie Lopez hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 9-1.
The Trojans scored two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth.
USC right-hander Andrew Johnson allowed three runs in 7⅓ innings. Johnson made the start one day after throwing 21 pitches in 1⅔ innings of relief and finished with a career-high 124 pitches.
Johnson allowed a solo home run in the first inning, then threw three consecutive scoreless innings. He allowed single runs in the fifth and eighth before leaving the game. Johnson stranded six Texas A&M runners, walked one and struck out four to earn the win.
USC started Sunday by hammering Texas State, 15-4, in a rematch of their Friday regional opener.
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Two days after failing to capitalize on several scoring opportunities in a loss to the Bobcats, the Trojans battered them to keep their season alive.
Abbrie Covarrubias led off the first inning with a single. Texas State right-hander Cade Smith then hit Adrian Lopez with a pitch and walked Augie Lopez to load the bases. Takeuchi followed with a tone-setting grand slam to center field.
Isaac Cadena made it 6-0 with a two-run homer to right field in the third. Augie Lopez added a two-out RBI single in the fourth, then Takeuchi drew a walk and Cadena was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jack Basseer then drew a walk to extend the lead to 8-0.
Texas State responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, including Coy DeFury’s two-run home run.
USC added a run in the sixth, two more in the seventh and four more in the eighth to complete the rout.
USC freshman starter Diego Velazquez gave up two runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3⅓ innings. Freshman right-hander Gavin Lauridsen relieved him but failed to retire a batter while giving up two runs on two hits and two walks. Freshman left-hander Sax Matson then pitched 3⅔ scoreless innings of relief to restore order and earn the victory.
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