USC Beats UCLA in Annual Rivalry Game at Dodger Stadium

A three RBI performance by sophomore Lars Nootbar and stellar long relief pitching from Chris Clarke was the difference as the Trojans completed a come-from-behind 4-3, 10 inning victory over crosstown rival UCLA (5-5) in the College Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium.

The Trojans (7-4) tied the game with two outs in the six inning with three runs on a two-run triple off the top of the right field wall by Nootbaar scoring Cory Dempster and Frankie Rios and an RBI single from Matt Acosta driving in Nootbar to tie the game.

The hot-hitting Nootbaar then delivered the eventual game-winning RBI in the 10th inning with two outs, driving in John Thomas, who had reached on an error by the pitcher, with a line-drive down the right filed line into the corner scoring the fleet-footed Thomas from first. On the night the sophomore was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

This 10-inning game marks the second-straight season that this annual rivalry game in the College Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium has gone extra innings. In 2016 the Trojans fell 5-3 in a 14 inning marathon.