Latest news with #EthanHedges
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
USC blown out by Oregon State, setting up regional final rematch between the teams
USC's Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek walks back to the dugout after taking a called third strike during a 14-1 loss to Oregon State in the NCAA Corvallis Regional on Sunday night. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) USC wanted to be aggressive knowing it was entering a hostile environment, playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,347 at Goss Stadium. The Trojans tried to set the tone early. Instead, it backfired, costing them early opportunities, early momentum and ultimately Sunday night's matchup in a 14-1 loss to Oregon State in the Corvallis Regional final. Advertisement USC opened with two hard hits. Brayden Dowd singled and Ethan Hedges followed with a rocket to right-center field that came off the bat at 104 mph. It one-hopped the wall for an easy double that could have set the Trojans up with two runners in scoring position and no outs. But USC third base coach Travis Jewett was spinning his arm almost immediately, sending Dowd home. Oregon State pitcher Kellan Oakes celebrates after striking out a batter to leave the bases loaded Sunday. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) Shortstop Aiva Arquette, an expected top 10 pick in next month's MLB draft, fired a throw home that brought catcher Wilson Weber into the baseline where he applied the tag to Dowd while his knee collided with the head of the Trojans' outfielder. The play invigorated the home crowd and set the tone for the beatdown to follow that saw the No. 8 national seed Beavers thoroughly outplay the Trojans despite playing its second game of the day facing elimination. Oregon State pummeled Saint Mary's, 20-3, Sunday afternoon to reach the final. Advertisement The next half inning, Oregon State attacked USC with four bunts that helped generate four runs. The Trojans' aggressiveness again bit them. Oregon State's Wilson Weber, left, scores a run as USC third baseman Ethan Hedges misplays a bunt Sunday. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) After they took the out at first on an initial sacrifice attempt, the Trojans twice tried to cut down runners at home with ill-fated results. Third baseman Hedges muffed a barehand attempt when the ball bounced with funky spin on a hard bunt that one-hopped. The Beavers bunted again on the next pitch. First baseman Adrian Lopez tried to come home and was too late. A base hit through the middle scored the next run before Oregon State went back to the bunt to score the fourth run, prompting the crowd to start chanting 'Small Ball! Small Ball! Small Ball!' Advertisement Oregon State added two runs in the third inning to take a 6-1 lead. USC had a huge opportunity to get back in the game in the fifth inning, loading the bases with no outs and the heart of the lineup due up. But the Beavers' pitching staff had USC's 3-4-5 hitters in a blender all night. Starter Wyatt Queen struck out Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek for the third time before turning the ball over to reliever Kellan Oakes, who struck out Lopez and Abbrie Covarrubias to escape the jam unscathed. USC coach Andy Stankiewicz walks back to the dugout during a 14-1 loss to Oregon State on Sunday. (Shotgun Spratling / For The Times) Oregon State then piled on runs against the lesser-used arms in USC's bullpen, scoring three runs in the sixth on Trent Caraway's fourth home run in as many games. Advertisement USC has a chance for redemption Monday as Oregon State's win forces a winner-take-all regional final at 3 p.m. PDT (ESPNU). Sign up for more USC news with Times of Troy. In your inbox every Monday morning. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
USC's Ethan Hedges shines on the NCAA Tournament stage
USC's Ethan Hedges shines on the NCAA Tournament stage Throughout the 2025 college baseball season, USC's Ethan Hedges has been one of the best players in not just the Big Ten, but the entire country. The Trojans' two-way star has done it all, shining both at the plate and on the mound to lead the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. On Saturday night, the Trojans played a crucial game in the Corvallis Regional versus Saint Mary's. On multiple occasions, it was Hedges who stepped up when USC needed a spark. In the bottom of the first inning, he hit the Trojans' first home run of the tournament to give them an early 1-0 lead. USC eventually fell behind 3-1 before coming back to tie the game at 3. In the fifth inning, Hedges went deep once again, putting the Trojans back in front, a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the night, holding on for a 6-4 victory. It was yet another extraordinary performance in a season that has been full of them for Hedges. As the team's everyday third baseman, Hedges led the Trojans in virtually every category at the plate. In addition, he was a key weapon on the mound, leading the team in saves. Against Saint Mary's, Hedges delivered yet another spectacular performance. As a result, the Trojans are one victory away from their first trip to the super regionals in nearly two decades.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
USC baseball holds off Saint Mary's, advances to regional final
USC baseball holds off Saint Mary's, advances to regional final On Friday, USC baseball won its first NCAA Tournament game in 10 years. On Saturday night, the Trojans followed it up with another victory, defeating Saint Mary's 6-4. The Trojans will play for a regional championship. They are one of 32 teams left standing at the 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament. USC fell behind 3-1 early in Saturday's game against Saint Mary's. However, Augie Lopez tied it up with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, and Ethan Hedges hit a solo shot in the fifth to give the Trojans the lead. USC added an insurance run in the seventh, and escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth inning allowing just one run to preserve a 5-4 lead. USC added one more in the bottom of the eighth for the final margin. USC's Caden Hunter, who spent the majority of the season as a starter, came out of the bullpen to pick up a four-out save. With the victory, USC advances to the Corvallis Regional final. Saint Mary's will face Oregon State at 3 p.m. Pacific time on Sunday. The Trojans will play the winner of that game shortly following, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Having won both of its first two games, USC has the significant advantage of coming out of the winner's bracket. If the Trojans win Sunday night, they will advance to the NCAA Super Regional. Should they lose, they would get another crack at either the Gaels or Beavers on Monday. USC has not been to the super regional round of the tournament since 2006. Sunday night, the Trojans will aim to end that drought.
6 days ago
- Sport
Ethan Hedges cracks 2 solo home runs and USC closes in on super regional berth
CORVALLIS, Oregon -- Ethan Hedges hit two solo home runs and USC defeated Saint Mary's 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the championship round of the Corvallis Regional. Hedges gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead with a one-out home run in the bottom of the first inning. Saint Mary's went ahead on a two-run home run by Diego Castellanos in the second inning. The Gaels made it 3-1 when Aide Taurek homered to lead off the fourth. USC tied it in the bottom of the inning when Augie Lopez blasted a two-run homer to right-center field and Hedges' one-out homer in the fifth gave the Trojans the lead for good. Richard Tejeda delivered an RBI single in the sixth for a 5-3 lead. Cody Kashimoto's sacrifice fly in the eighth got the Gaels within 5-4 but Maximo Martinez got the run back for USC with an RBI-single in the bottom of the inning. USC's Caden Hunter pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season. Starter Mason Edwards (3-0) got the win, allowing three runs in 5 1/3 innings. John Damozonio (4-3) took the loss for Saint Mary's (36-25). USC (37-21) advances to the championship round, a win away from the super regionals. Saint Mary's will play an elimination game against regional host Oregon State on Sunday with the winner needing to beat USC twice to win the double-elimination regional.
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Ethan Hedges cracks 2 solo home runs and USC closes in on super regional berth
Associated Press CORVALLIS, Oregon (AP) — Ethan Hedges hit two solo home runs and USC defeated Saint Mary's 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the championship round of the Corvallis Regional. Hedges gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead with a one-out home run in the bottom of the first inning. Saint Mary's went ahead on a two-run home run by Diego Castellanos in the second inning. The Gaels made it 3-1 when Aide Taurek homered to lead off the fourth. USC tied it in the bottom of the inning when Augie Lopez blasted a two-run homer to right-center field and Hedges' one-out homer in the fifth gave the Trojans the lead for good. Richard Tejeda delivered an RBI single in the sixth for a 5-3 lead. Cody Kashimoto's sacrifice fly in the eighth got the Gaels within 5-4 but Maximo Martinez got the run back for USC with an RBI-single in the bottom of the inning. USC's Caden Hunter pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season. Starter Mason Edwards (3-0) got the win, allowing three runs in 5 1/3 innings. John Damozonio (4-3) took the loss for Saint Mary's (36-25). USC (37-21) advances to the championship round, a win away from the super regionals. Saint Mary's will play an elimination game against regional host Oregon State on Sunday with the winner needing to beat USC twice to win the double-elimination regional. ___ AP college sports: recommended in this topic
