IRVINE, Calif. -- All nine starters reached base safely for Portland, but the Pilots fell to the USC Trojans 10-4 Sunday. The Trojans took two out of three games in the series.
Joey Gartrell (0-2) started and took the loss on the mound for Portland (3-3). Curtis Hebert was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going 2.2 innings, surrendering just one run on one hit and striking out four.
Riley McCarthy led the way offensively for the Pilots, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame with a home run and an RBI. Evan Scavotto provided a standout performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and an RBI and recording his first hits on the year. Zach Toglia also helped out, going 1-for-3 for Portland with a walk and an RBI. It was also his first hit of the year.
How it Happened
Portland found themselves trailing 2-0 after USC got two runs in the first inning, but responded in the second inning. Portland got an RBI single from Toglia, scoring Scavotto from second base to bring the score to 2-1 Trojans.
A big third inning for USC saw them score five runs to expand the lead to 7-1 before the Pilots responded in the fifth. Portland picked up two runs, including one on a solo round-tripper off the bat of McCarthy and another score off a walk, which tightened the Trojans lead to 7-3.
USC, however, expanded their lead to 10-3, with a solo home run in the fifth inning and a two-run single in the seventh increasing the advantage for the Trojans. The Portland offense got back in action, reducing that lead in the eighth off a wild pitch, but the damage was done as the Pilots fell 10-4.
Game Notes
» Every Pilots starter reached base safely in the loss.
» Portland's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Portland left 10 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» Pilot pitchers limited USC to just 3-for-15 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Portland pitchers faced 42 USC hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and four fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Pilots drew five walks from USC pitching.
» McCarthy led the Pilots at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. It's the first home run of McCarthy's career, and he's now the third Pilot to homer this season.
» Hebert's four strikeouts are a career high.
» This is the first series loss for the Pilots.
Up Next
The Pilots are still on the road with a series against the Utah Valley Wolverines up next. The first of their three games is Friday, March 1 at 3:05 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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