University Southern California Trojans
USC
Loyola Marymnt
Loyola Marymount Hands Baseball Its Worst Loss In 2001
February 20, 2001 | Baseball
Feb. 20, 2001
LOS ANGELES -- James Clelland threw five shutout innings Tuesday and the Loyola Marymount Lions upset the USC Trojans, 9-1, in a non-conference game.
Clelland (3-0) entered the game for the Lions (9-5) in the first inning and scattered four hits to pick up the victory. USC (No. 2 - ESPN/USA Today Baseball Weekly, No. 2 - Baseball America, No. 3 - Collegiate Baseball) recorded 10 hits on the evening, but stranded 12 runners in front of the Dedeaux Field crowd of 345.
It was the first home loss of the season for USC (8-3).
The Lions took advantage of USC starter Chad Clark in the first inning. With two outs, Tommy Perez, Kris Zacuto and Joshua Whitesell hit singles before three straight walks by Clark gave LMU a 3-0 lead. Matt Bonovich was called for catcher's interference against the Lions' Jack Brooks, allowing Jeff Walker to score for the fourth run of the inning.
Perez went 3-for-6 with two RBI while Walker hit a solo home run, his third of the season, in the seventh inning.
Freshman Al Benavente provided 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and recording three strikeouts for the Trojans.
USC returns to action tomorrow at Pepperdine at 2 p.m. as a makeup for the rained-out Feb. 13 contest. The Trojans will then host Mississippi State in a three-game series, beginning on Friday (Feb. 25) at 5 p.m. Mississippi State will be the first ever Southeastern Conference opponent hosted by USC
LMU 410-100-300 --- 9-12-2 USC 100-000-000 --- 1-10-3 Muecke, Clelland (1), Whitesell (6), Gray (7), Cordova (8), Gruber (9) and Zacuto, Higashi (9). Clark, Todd (2), Williams (4), Benavente (7), Rummonds (9) and Bonovich, Adolph (8). WP - Clelland (3-0) LP - Clark (1-1) T: 3:40 ATT: 345
