Stanford Snaps Trojan Streak With 13-4 Win

After the USC baseball team beat Chapman, 7-6, Wednesday to extend its season-opening winning streak to 15 games and establish a record for the best start in school history, Coach Mike Gillespie said that Pacific 10 teams would provide a more accurate gauge as to the Trojans’ strength.

Well, USC opened Pac-10 play against defending conference and national champion Stanford Friday night at Dedeaux Field, and the Trojans found out that winning is indeed more difficult in the Southern Division.

The Cardinal broke open a close game in the fourth inning by scoring seven runs on seven hits, including four doubles, and went on to rout USC, 13-4, handing the Trojans their first loss.

Stanford, which won five of six from USC last season, got a strong pitching performance from Lee Plemel. The senior right-hander went the distance to raise his record to 3-1. He limited the Trojans to just four hits through six innings before Corby Oakes homered leading off the seventh.