Feb. 15, 2005

Box Score

(Los Angeles, CA) - Matt Cusick hit a walk-off, two-run homer off Nate Boman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning propelling No. 18 USC to a 7-5 victory over San Diego Tuesday night at Dedeaux Field. San Diego (7-5-1) had rallied to even the game at five apiece, scoring two runs in the eighth and Boman hurled four-plus scoreless frames before Cusick blasted a first-pitch fastball over the right field wall in the ninth.

Torero starter Justin Blaine limited USC to four hits over four complete innings, but USC took advantage of Blaine's three free passes and a pair of Torero defensive miscues to take a 5-0 lead after two innings.

The San Diego offense responded from the early deficit with three runs in the top-half of the third. Randy Curtis knocked in Keoni Ruth on an RBI-groundout and Steve Singleton followed with a two-RBI single to cut the USC advantage to 5-3.

Boman (2-1) replaced Blaine in the fifth and worked effectively, registering four K's and scattering three hits before eventually suffering his first loss of the young season.

Left-handed Trojan reliever Jack Spradin was cruising through four-plus innings in relief of USC starter Brett Banister before USD mounted an improbable eighth-inning comeback. Bannister, USC's expected mid-week starter, was chased in the fourth after being touched up for eight hits and three runs.

After Spradin retired the first two USD batters in the eighth, the Toreros rattled off three consecutive singles, cutting the lead to 5-4. USC head coach Mike Gillespie turned to his closer Paul Koss, and San Diego head coach Rich Hill countered with Matt Falk to pinch-hit for Ryan Lilly, who had struck out twice.

Falk slapped a high-bouncing ground ball down the first-base line that was misplayed into a run-scoring error by Trojan first baseman Lucas Duda. Running on contact, Gavin Ng scored from second base and the game was tied at five apiece.

Trojan reliever Michael Freidman (1-0) worked out of some trouble in relief of Koss and pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win.

San Diego will try and rebound later this week when the Toreros begin a four-game weekend home stand against UC Davis Friday at 2pm.