LOS ANGELES — Ricky Oropesa launched a solo home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie as the CSUB baseball team lost in a 4-3 final to USC Wednesday at Dedeaux Field.
The Roadrunner (12-15) put up a battle against the Pac-10 Trojans, and nearly pulled off the first-ever CSUB win over a USC squad. But, after taking a 1-0 lead early, CSUB stranded 15 total runners on base, including two in the top of the ninth.
Bakersfield starter Mike McCarthy (2-3) pitched a near gem, tossing his second complete game of the season. After giving up three runs on three hits and a walk in the second, McCarthy settled in to retire 19 of the next 20 Trojan batters before giving up the Oropesa homer. He finished the night with seven strikeouts to go along with one walk and six hits.
Chad Smith (2-4) picked up the win for USC, pitching the final 1.1 innings on a designated staff day.
The Roadrunners took a 1-0 lead in the second on a Kevin Younger two-out double down the left field line. Jeremy Rodriguez scored on the play after leading off the inning with a single.
The Trojans (15-14) answered in the bottom half of the inning with a Keith Castillo two-run home run and a Kevin Roundtree RBI-single.
In the top of the third, Joey Mills led off with a walk, stole second and scored on a single up the middle by Boren. After four scoreless innings, the Roadrunners rallied for the tying run on another RBI-hit by Boren in the eighth. Younger led off the inning with a single and used his speed on the base path to beat the throw home after Boren's hit went deep to the left-center field fence.
McCarthy got Joe De Pinto and Adam Landecker to fly out and ground out to open the ninth, bringing Oropesa to the plate for his game-winning hit. Matt Foat then flied out to right to end the inning.
Bakersfield had one final chance in the ninth when JJ Henry hit a one-out single to right and Younger beat out a bloop hit to short. But designated hitter Mick Gaston struck out looking and Joey Mills struckout swinging.
Younger led CSUB with four hits and one RBI while Boren extended his hit streak to 15 consecutive games, collecting two hits and two RBIs. Rodriguez also had two hits for the Roadrunners.
Bakersfield returns to Hardt Field on Friday for a 2:30 p.m. match-up against Cal State Northridge.
Score by Innings R H E
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CSU Bakersfield..... 011 000 010 - 3 11 0
USC................. 030 000 01X - 4 6 0
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Win - Smith (2-4). Loss - McCarthy (2-3). Save - None.
DP - USC 2. LOB - CSUB 15; USC 3. 2B - Boren(10); Younger(3); Oropesa(11);
Hart(8). HR - Oropesa(10); Castillo(2). HBP - Gaston. SH - Mills(3). SB -
Mills(5).
