USC rallies to beat UA in extra innings

Southern Cal catcher CJ Stubbs hit a two-run home run with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Trojans a 6-4 victory over the University of Arkansas on Saturday at Dedeaux Field in Los Angeles.

Stubbs’ game-winning home run off Arkansas reliever Marshall Denton capped a three-run rally with two outs in the bottom of the 10th for the Trojans (3-3), who avoided a home sweep after the No. 12 Razorbacks won the first two games in the series.

Jamal O’Guinn singled up the middle on a two-strike pitch in the at-bat prior to Stubbs, scoring pinch runner Trevor Pritchard from second base and tying the game 4-4. Pinch hitter Trevor Halsema led off the 10th with a single.

O’Guinn’s hit came against freshman left hander Patrick Wicklander, who was replaced by Denton. Stubbs’ home run came on the third pitch he saw from the submarine-throwing Denton, a 1-1 pitch that hung over the middle of the plate.

The Razorbacks appeared to have momentum after tying the game 3-3 with two outs in the ninth on a passed ball by Stubbs, which allowed Casey Opitz to score from third base. Opitz led off the ninth with a double.

After Wicklander retired all three batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth, Arkansas center fielder Dominic Fletcher hit a solo home run with one out in the top of the 10th to put the Razorbacks ahead 4-3.

Arkansas (5-1) played catch up for most of the game. Chase Bushor hit a solo home run off Arkansas starter Connor Noland in the first inning to put USC ahead 1-0.

The Razorbacks tied the game in the top of the second on Christian Franklin’s two-out RBI double, but USC took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single by John Thomas.

Noland took his second consecutive no-decision by allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in 4 innings. The freshman struck out two.

Jacob Kostyshock allowed one run in 32/3 innings of relief. Kostyshock retired the first 10 batters he faced after replacing Noland in the fifth inning, but he was tagged with a run on some defensive miscommunication.

USC went ahead 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth when Arkansas second baseman Jack Kenley drifted back several yards into the outfield, only to let the ball fall between him and the charging right fielder Heston Kjerstad.

Franklin’s second RBI hit tied the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh, a one-out single to score Opitz, who was pinch running for Zack Plunkett. Plunkett led off the inning with a single.

Arkansas had a chance to take the lead in the seventh with runners on second and third and only one out, but Franklin was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a softly hit ball in the infield by Kjerstad,

and Trevor Ezell struck out to strand Casey Martin at third base.

Arkansas stranded runners in scoring position in the ninth and 10th innings, and stranded 10 for the game.

Arkansas is scheduled to host Memphis at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.