Sunday was full of epic highs and staggering lows in the Trojans pursuit of a series victory over the Utes, the Trojans second-straight series victory on the road. Junior Bobby Wheatley took the hill for the Trojans, leaving the game in the second inning after retiring the Utes in order.

Freshmen Kyle Twomey came out the bullpen for the second-straight appearance, allowing two runs on seven hits this week.

Twomey has now thrown four innings of relief this week, allowing three runs in his newly designated role, as he works to find more control on the bump, following consecutive wild starts on the bump.

The Trojans offense came alive in the middle innings, scoring eight runs from the third to fifth inning led by RBI hits from Blake Lacey, Kevin Swick, Timmy Robinson and Garret Stubbs. USC capitalized with some much-needed scoring, jumping out to a 10-2 lead in the rubber match of the series.

From that point forward, things started to unfold for the Trojans. It all began in the bottom of the sixth when the Utes battled around hard-throwing Nigel Nootbaar for five runs before even recording an out. That was made possible by two consecutive errors from freshmen Blake Lacey.

The Utes put together four hits in the inning, and threatened to take the lead with two runners on base with one out, in what could have been an even more horrendous inning for USC. Freshman Kyle Davis entered the ball game after watching Nootbaar and Brent Wheatley struggle to get any defensive support, therefore the freshman took matters into his own hands striking out the next two batters to end the tumultuous frame.

Davis continued to pitch well all the way to the ninth inning, when the Utes completed the eight-run comeback, as Braden Anderson blooped a game tying two-out single to center. Head Coach Dan Hubbs remained confident in his freshman bringing him in for the final inning of play.

This was made possible because the Trojans scored five runs in the 10th, led by a two-rbi double from Timmy Robinson who finished the day 3-6 with 5 RBI, while pushing his hit streak to 13 games. The Trojans knocked together 22 hits in the contest, and secured the victory as Kyle Davis sealed the deal in the ninth for the 15-10 thrilling victory.

The Trojans finished the game 8-for-18 with RISP, allowing their .282 fifth-ranked batting average in conference play to cash a season-high 15 runs, while also eclipsing their previous high nine-run outburst against Cal State Northridge on February 24th.

The back-and-forth series began with a sluggish performance as the Trojans could barely scap together six hits in a crushing 10-0 loss on Friday, the second-largest loss of the year. The bright spot from the offensive side rested in the hands of Timmy Robinson who continued his double-digit game hitting streak.

Freshman starter Sean Silva followed a dominant six innings of shutout ball against Arizona State by falling back to humanity, allowing three runs –none earned– in 3.1 innings of work.

Errors were the biggest negative storyline from the weekend, committing seven defensive blunders leading to nine unearned runs.

The Trojans could not find much production in the order outside the top-three as James Roberts, Garrett Stubbs and Bobby Stahel combined for five of the six hits but were all left stranded. Freshmen outfielder and former high school pitching star Turner Clouse came out the bullpen for the first time all season, allowing three runs in 1.1 innings pitched, in a rather intriguing move from head coach Dan Hubbs.

Before the game even started on Saturday, the Trojans got some tremendously great news when sophomore Dante Flores was cleared to play for the first time since February 26th. Flores made an immediate impact in the order, going 1-4 for 2 RBI out of the three hole playing first base.

The Trojans responded alongside the return of their starting first baseman, scoring seven runs in the games first four innings, taking that momentum towards a 7-4 victory. USC allowed three runs in the final frame, and were able to get out a jam with the tying run at the dish in the ninth.

While the offense came alive, sophomore starter Wyatt Strahan will certainly earn player of the weekend for his superb performance. Strahan has pitched at least six innings in all but two starts this season and continued that mark on Saturday powering through eight innings of work, allowing one run while striking out six Utes in the dominating victory.

The Trojans follow up this series victory with a trip to Corvallis to square with the top-ranked team in the Pac-12 Conference in Oregon State (30-8, 11-4) beginning on Friday.

Feb 24, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Plaque honoring Southern California Trojans former coach Rod Deadeaux (not pictured) at Dedeaux Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Freshmen Kyle Twomey came back to the bump after allowing 5 ER on Sunday to finish off the Lions, starting the eight-game road trip with some pop on the mound and also at the plate.

The Trojans pitching staff has struggled for the season, posting the Pac-12 worst ERA through the first two months of the season (4.78) and now must depart from the pitcher-friendly confines of Rod Dedeaux Field.

Junior catcher Jake Hernandez drove a two-strike pitch over the left field wall, just to the right of the 37-foot-blue wall at Paige Stadium, giving the Trojans their first lead in the contest.

Freshmen outfielder Vahn Bozoian got a rare start for the Trojans, after only playing in one of three against ASU last weekend but certainly made his presence felt. Bozoian belted a first-pitch fastball nearly 400 feet to left center, cementing the Trojans victory.

The Trojans scored five runs on 15 hits in the Tuesday afternoon affair. This effort propels the club forward for their weekend tilt in cold Utah. The Utes (15-17, 4-11) have struggled to get going in conference play with crippling problems across the board.

The offense has plenty of pop in the lineup, with 13 homeruns on the season, but that can not overcome a sluggish .240 team batting average on the year. This Utah squad has been compared to USC in the fact that neither is supremely talented, both but play hard and have shown flashes of greatness.

After three games against the Pac-12 dwellers, the Trojans stay up north and prepare for a series against a top-ten foe in Oregon State. The Beavers are 10-2 in conference and have the pitching depth to match any team in the nation with a team-ERA of 1.87, including two starters at the top of the rotation in Matt Boyd and Andrew Moore who have a combined record of 14-2.

Luckily for the Trojans, the bats are starting to come alive after posting double-digit hits in five of the last six games. This young team has some pop, with Timmy Robinson and Blake Lacey riding eight and seven game hitting streaks respectively; and will need to carry those hot bats on the long road trip.

The biggest challenge for USC on this road trip will be finishing series strong, a facet of their game that has allowed this young squad, with 16 true freshmen, to drop crucial Sunday affairs on the road. The Trojans have yet to win a Sunday road game this season, a recipe for disaster given the nation’s most difficult schedule according to BPI.

Following the three-game tilt in Corvallis, the Trojans return to California to face West Coast Conference foe Pepperdine (20-15, 8-4). The Waves crushed USC 9-4 in their first meeting on March 12th as the Trojans allowed 6 runs in the final four innings. Freshmen Blake Lacey had the quite game, going 2-4 while scoring half of the teams runs.

This next stretch of games will ultimately decide the Trojans postseason fate to enter the discussion for regional play. The Trojans return home to Dedeaux Field on May 2nd to square with Texas Christian University in a three-game series.

The Trojans finished the game with 10 hits–the same as the Titans–but the team was unable to string together timely hits, especially in the later innings, as they stranded nine total base runners in the game.

Early on the Trojans were able to put things together, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead. They got on the board first with back-to-back doubles from Kevin Swick and Blake Lacey to go ahead 1-0 against starting pitcher Sophomore Kobe Guana. Guana pitched five scoreless innings against the Trojans in his last start, but could not get past the third inning after striking out two in the opening frame.

In the top of the third, Timmy Robinson deposited the first pitch he saw over the wall in left center field for his first collegiate home run, giving the Trojans a 2-0 lead. This hit shifted the momentum of the game against a Fullerton squad that already defeated USC twice this season by a combined eight runs.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Titans roared back against left hander Sean Adler who was making his first collegiate start. The freshman looked steady through innings one and two, but he got into trouble with two outs in the bottom of the third. Then, powerful right-handed hitter J.D. Davis crushed a first-pitch fastball over the fence for a grandslam giving Fullerton a 4-2 lead. The next batter Michael Lorenzen continued his impressive power display, posting his seventh home run of the season, extending the lead 5-2.

Adler was lifted for Nigel Nootbaar, who gave up one final run on an RBI single from Matt Chapman to put the Trojans down, 6-2. Adler was helped defensively in his 2.2 innings of relief by a nice double play turned up the middle by Adam Landecker in the first inning, forcing a quick one-two-three in the opening frame. Lorenzen blasted the grand slam in the third, but was robbed of a double by starting left fielder Bobby Stahel who leaped at the wall to make a spectacular catch in the second.

Nootbaar pitched through the fifth inning, limiting the Titans attack to only two base hits in the next 2.1 innings. The Trojans bats came alive in the fifth, scoring two runs on sacrifice flies by Kevin Swick and Blake Lacey making the score 6-4 in favor of the Titans. From that point on, the Trojans went 0-2 with runners in scoring position to finish the game, limiting any chance for a comeback.

Home-run machine Lorenzen entered the game in the ninth for Fullerton Head Coach Rick Vanderhook, sealing the deal for the Titans. After allowing a two-out double to red hot Swick (2-5 on the night), Lorenzen forced Lacey to pop up to right, ending the contest as the games tying run.

The loss completes the Titans season sweep over the Trojans for the second-straight season. Fullerton will now present their impressive 29-4 record for a league series against UC Santa Barbara. While the Trojans head home to face Arizona State in a three-game series starting Friday night at 6 P.M.

Trojan Notes:

Freshmen Shane Gonzales and Brooks Kriske pitched the final three innings for the Trojans. Dan Hubbs used three freshmen alongside sophomore Nigel Nootbaar in the losing effort. Blake Lacey and Kevin Swick brought their bats to Fullerton, finishing the game a combined 5-10 including three extra-base hits; as Swick now holds an impressive four-game hitting streak. Freshmen Bobby Stahel capitalized on his third-straight start, going 2-4 in the contest while also collecting his third HBP in two games, drastically raising his on-base percentage.