April 16, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The No. 22 USC baseball team pulled into a first-place tie in the Pacific-10 Conference with No. 2 Stanford after beating the Cardinal, 10-1, on Friday night at Sunken Diamond.
The Trojans improved to 25-17 overall, 11-2 in the Pac-10. The Cardinal dropped to 26-10, 11-2.
USC junior LHP Barry Zito (8-2) pitched a gutty seven innings to record his seventh straight victory while also improving to 5-0 after five Pac-10 starts. Despite finding himself in trouble numerous times early, he pitched out of the jams and gave up just one run on seven hits and four walks while striking out nine.
For the game, Stanford left 11 runners on base, including five in scoring position in the first two innings.
The Trojans have won 10 of their last 11 games overall. USC has won 11 of the last 15 against Stanford at Sunken Diamond.
The Trojans scored three runs in the top of the first inning as senior LF Jason Lane blasted a high two-run home run over the left field wall. Senior CF Brad Ticehurst was then hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI single by senior 2B Dominic Correa.
The Cardinal got its only run in the bottom of the first to make it 3-1.
In the top of the fifth, USC scored three more runs after the third out was almost made. With two down, Ticehurst struck out swinging, but moved all the way to second base because a wild pitch skipped to the backstop. Correa then had another RBI single, and junior 1B Carlos Casillas slugged a two-run home run to right-center field for a 6-1 lead.
Stanford sophomore RHP Jason Young's next pitch was behind senior DH Justin Lehr, causing a few tense moments. USC Coach Mike Gillespie came out to talk to the umpire, got in a long argument and was ejected.
The game settled back down, and USC would increase its lead to 10-1 with four runs in the top of the eighth. With two outs and no one on, Lehr walked and sophomore Josh Self pinch-ran. Freshman C Beau Craig lined a single into right field that scored Self from first base. After another walk, sophomore SS Seth Davidson hit a two-run triple to right field.
Zito was relieved in the eighth inning by Lane, and freshman RHP Pete Montrenes pitched the ninth inning.
USC and Stanford meet again on Saturday and Sunday, both at 1 p.m.