USC scored multiple runs in four different innings as Cal Poly Baseball was trounced 16-3 in a mid-week contest with the visiting Trojans at Baggett Stadium on Wednesday, March 13.
The 16 runs given up by the Mustangs (3-11) are the most they’ve allowed this year, and the 13-run loss is their largest defeat of the season. On top of this, it was Cal Poly’s 10th loss in its last 11 games and helped USC (8-7-1, 2-1 Pac-12) secure its first road victory of the 2023 season.
As the game began, it appeared as though the Mustangs were well on their way to snapping their losing streak. After freshman starter Charlie Royle set the Trojans down in order to open the game, senior catcher Collin Villegas cranked his fifth home run of the year to left field to give the Mustangs the 1-0 lead.
That was as close as they would get the entire night, however, as the Trojans proceeded to put across five runs in the second inning before Royle had even recorded an out.
In total, USC scored eight runs in the inning, sending 13 batters to the plate and chasing Royle after just 39 pitches.
The Mustangs managed to get one run back in the second thanks to an RBI double by redshirt sophomore second baseman Kemet Brown, and again in the fifth after sophomore left fielder Ryan Stafford doubled and eventually came home on a wild pitch to make the game 8-3.
By that point, however, the game was already out of reach. The Mustangs couldn’t string anything together offensively despite multiple chances, and the Trojans tacked on four more runs in the seventh and two more in the final inning to seal the 16-3 defeat for the Green and Gold.
The loss went to Royle (0-1), who threw just 39 pitches as he surrendered six earned runs on four hits and two walks to go with one strikeout.
Offensively, Brown and Stafford led the way for Cal Poly, as they each tallied two hits in the contest.
Up next, Cal Poly will look to return to the win column when they open the 30-game Big West schedule by hosting a weekend series against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors beginning Friday, March 17 at 6 p.m. inside Baggett Stadium.
