March 9, 2010

Pepperdine and USC Box Score (March 9, 2010)

MALIBU, Calif. - Cade Kreuter's three-run homer in the sixth inning was the key shot in USC's 5-0 victory over Pepperdine Tuesday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium. The loss was the Waves' first to the Trojans at home since 2003.

Kreuter, the son of current USC head coach and former Pepperdine catcher Chad Kreuter, finished the day 3-for-4 with four RBI as the Trojan's designated hitter. On the mound, senior Kevin Couture pitched seven shutout innings for his first victory of the season with six strikeouts as USC evened its season record to 6-6. Pepperdine's record fell to 4-8 and was shutout for the first time since March 28 of last year at San Diego.

Sophomore Aaron Gates (Villa Park, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS) started for the Waves and gave up all five runs through 5.1 innings pitched, dropping his record to 1-2. He struck out three.

Pepperdine relievers Keven Inman (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces HS), Brian McIlhenny (Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Preparatory) and Cory Jones (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) held USC scoreless over the last three innings, but the Waves' offense could not muster an extra-base hit all day nor advance a runner past second base.

All seven of Pepperdine's hits were singles with senior Colin Rooney (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) and Brian Humphries (El Cajon, Calif./Granite Hills HS) leading the club with two hits each.

The Waves return to the diamond at Eddy D. Field Stadium this Thursday for the start of a three-game series vs. No. 13 East Carolina. Thursday's first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

USC 5, Pepperdine 0 (Mar 09, 2010 at Malibu, Calif.)----------------------------------------------------------------------USC................. 011 003 000  -  5 11  1      (6-6)Pepperdine.......... 000 000 000  -  0  7  0      (4-8)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: USC - Couture, Kevin; Fujiya, Shuhei(8) and Castillo, Keith. Pepperdine -Gates, Aaron; Inman, Keven(6); McILHENNY, Brian(8); JONES, Cory(9) and Johnson, Nate.Win-Couture, Kevin(1-0)  Loss-GATES, Aaron(1-2)  T-2:45  A-253HR USC - Kreuter, Cade (2).Weather: 61, Sunny