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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 13, 2010

USC evens baseball series with Rainbows, 3-1


By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Southern California right-hander Ben Mount pitched a five-hitter with eight strikeouts and no walks and the Trojans capitalized on two seventh-inning errors by Hawaii tonight in a 3-1 nonconference baseball victory.

A crowd of 3,593 — the season's first sellout at Les Murakami Stadium — watched USC even the four-game series at one game apiece and improve to 7-8 overall, while the Rainbows fell to 7-7.

Southern Cal broke a 1-1 tie with one out in the top of the seventh inning, when Matt Foat hit an opposite-field drive that sent UH right fielder Christian Johnson crashing into the wall. Johnson popped up and ran after the ball but slipped and fell as he approached it, allowing Foat to round third base and slide home safely just before catcher David Freitas' tag.

After Rainbows starter Sam Spangler got his career-high 11th strikeout, Cade Kreuter hit a drive to left that advanced Foat to third. Hawaii shortstop Greg Garcia's relay throw home, however, sailed to the backstop, allowing Foat to score and make it 3-1.

That ended an otherwise splendid night for Spangler, who went 6 2/3 innings and gave up two earned runs on seven hits, no walks.

USC took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Garrett Houts singled to left field with one out, stole second and scored on Foat's double into the gap in right-center.

Hawaii tied it in the fifth, after David Freitas led off with a single to left, advanced to third on Collin Bennett's single to right and scored as Kevin Macdonald hit into a 4-6-3 double play.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com