Utes Nipped by USC in Pool Play Opening Game, 7-6

Tuesday, May 21

Scottsdale, AZ

3:30 PM

University of Utah

32-22

USC

29-27

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Utah	0	0	2	2	1	0	0	1	0	6	10	1
USC	0	1	0	0	2	1	0	3	X	7	13	3

Tournament Central

Photo by: Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics

Utes Nipped by USC in Pool Play Opening Game, 7-6

5/21/2024 8:12 PM | Baseball

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Roberts had his team-leading 21st double of the season

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Four Utes had multi-hit performances, but a late rally from USC led the No. 4-seeded Trojans over No. 7-seed Utah by a 7-6 score on Tuesday in the Pac-12 Tournament at Scottsdale Stadium.

The Utes (32-22) will conclude Pool Play on Wednesday with a meeting against No. 3-seed Oregon. First pitch will be at 3:30 p.m. MDT (2:30 p.m. in Scottsdale).

Core Jackson, Kai Roberts, Kaden Carpenter and Bruer Webster each had two hits in the game. Roberts' day included his team-leading 21^st double of the season, while Carpenter contributed a solo homer in the eighth inning as part of a two-RBI day. Webster scored two runs as well.

Right-handed pitcher Payton Riske made his first collegiate start and went five innings, allowing three runs on five hits plus a walk. He struck out three Trojans and exited the game in line for the win.

USC broke the ice with an RBI single in the second inning, bringing in Ethan Hedges for the early 1-0 lead. But Riske induced a groundout to end the frame.

Two-spots in both the third and fourth innings put Utah ahead by a 4-1 score. Drake Digiorno laid down a nice safety squeeze that scored Webster with the tying run, then an error by USC allowed Roberts to come in from second base.

In the fourth, back-to-back two-out RBI singles from Webster and Jackson drove in another pair of runs. Then in the fifth, Carpenter laced a single through the right side that brought Digiorno across the plate for a 5-1 advantage.

Riske continued to power through his first collegiate start, retiring nine straight Trojans between the second and fifth innings. USC broke up the streak and plated a pair of runs in the home half of the fifth, before an infield single in the sixth cut the Utah lead to just 5-4.

Utah was poised to stretch the advantage in the seventh with runners on second and third and nobody out. But a double play then a strikeout ended the threat heading into seventh inning stretch.

Carpenter's eighth-inning shot landed on the right field patio and brought the Utes' lead to 6-4. But USC rallied in the bottom of the frame, tallying four hits and a sac fly to pull in front by one.

Next Up | Pac-12 Tournament Central
The Utes will face third-seeded Oregon Wednesday in its second Pool Play game of the Pac-12 Tournament. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. MDT (2:30 p.m. in Arizona), with the matchup televised on Pac-12 Network and on the radio with ESPN 700 AM / 92.1 FM.

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