CORVALLIS, Ore. - Saint Mary's took the field in their second game of the Corvallis Regional and put together another solid performance, but three long balls from the Trojans offense would give USC the two-run victory and send them into the regional final Sunday evening. The Gaels season isn't done yet though as they will face off with the 8th ranked Beavers for the second time in three days in an elimination game Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM.
The Gaels pitching staff was solid again as junior starter
John Damozonio battled through five innings allowing four runs off nine hits. The three arms on the night for Saint Mary's did not allow a walk, just the second time that's happened this season. A clutch two-out RBI single in the eighth would give USC some insurance as they retired the Gaels in order in the top of the ninth to seal the 6-4 win and send themselves into the regional final.
Cody Kashimoto and
Aiden Taurek each had two hits on the night including a solo blast from Taurek in the fourth inning, his 11th of the season.
Diego Castellanos also had a two-run home run back in the second that put the Gaels in front 2-1 at the time. Saint Mary's defeated regional host Oregon State on Friday 6-4 and will have to do it again on Sunday in order to keep their postseason hopes alive and have a shot at their first regional championship. The winner of the elimination game Sunday afternoon will turn back around and take on USC in the nightcap for the regional championship.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
2ND INNING
San Jose native
John Damozonio made his sixth start of the season and put together a solid performance to keep the Gaels within striking distance. Damozonio made a mistake in the first and gave up a solo shot to Ethan Hedges but the offense responded the next inning thanks to a two-run homer from
Diego Castellanos to propel the Gaels in front 2-1. Castellanos ran into a 90 MPH fastball on the inner half of the plate for his eighth of the season.
4TH INNING
Damozonio put up a clean frame in the bottom half of the third thanks to a diving snag from
Aiden Taurek in left to end the inning. Taurek would carry that momentum to the plate the next half inning and leadoff the fourth with a bomb to left center for his eleventh of the season. After a quick start from USC, Saint Mary's had scored three unanswered thanks to a pair of homers off the bats of Castellanos and Taurek.
The lead would be short lived though as USC's Adrian Lopez smashed a two-run homer of his own to right field to knot the game at three after four innings. The next inning, Hedges would homer for the second time to give the Trojans a 4-3 lead and end Damozonio's outing with five innings pitched, allowing four runs off nine hits.
8TH INNING
After being held scoreless for three straight innings, Saint Mary's would load the bases with no outs in the eighth down just two runs.
Cody Kashimoto would battle to two strikes and then send a fly ball to left allowing catcher
Ian Armstrong to tag and score from third, making it a one-run ballgame.
Aiden Taurek reached on a fielder's choice in the next at bat and then after a pitching change,
Ryan Pierce would go down looking to Caden Hunter to end the threat and preserve the Trojans 5-4 lead. USC added an insurance run for good measure with a two-out knock in the eighth as they went on to win 6-4 after sitting down the Gael hitters in order in the ninth.
For just the second time this season, Saint Mary's did not walk a single batter in the game as they were very efficient with their three arms that pitched in tonight's game.
Derik Eaquinto pitched the sixth and struckout two batters while freshman
Sam Kretsch completed the final two innings allowing one run off two hits with a pair of strikeouts of his own.
USC will await the winner of 8th ranked Oregon State and Saint Mary's who will play in an elimination game tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM. The Gaels have already made history this weekend but are not done yet as a win will get them a rematch with USC and a shot at their first ever NCAA Regional championship.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's fell to 36-25 overall after their two-run defeat to three-seed USC. The Gaels still have a path to the regional championship as they'll have to defeat top-seed Oregon State Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 3:00 PM and additional TV, live stats and media links will be made available at smcgaels.com.
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