The Scarlet Knights' West Coast road trip turned into a tough lesson at Dedeaux Field, as Rutgers was swept by USC in a three-game series that saw the Trojans outscore them 28-4. After a narrow 5-4 loss to UConn earlier in the week, the Knights arrived in Los Angeles hoping to bounce back, but the offense struggled to find its rhythm against a dominant USC pitching staff.
Game one offered a glimpse of promise, thanks to a strong start from Zack Konstantinovsky. The right-hander delivered six solid innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out eight without issuing a walk. However, the Rutgers bats remained quiet, managing just three hits all game. Gabriel Rivera provided the lone highlight with an RBI double in the sixth inning, but USC scored two in the fifth and three in the seventh to secure a 5-1 victory.
The second game followed a similar script. Rutgers got off to a quick start with a run in the first inning, but the offense stalled again, finishing with only four hits. Chase Krewson's RBI double briefly gave the Knights hope, but USC erupted for six runs over the next two innings to take control. Trojans starter Grant Govel was nearly untouchable, allowing just one run on four hits with five strikeouts over six innings to improve to 9-1 on the season. The final score: 11-1.
Looking to salvage the series finale, Rutgers turned to Chris Sand, but USC jumped on him early, plating four runs in the first inning. The Trojans never let up, adding runs throughout the game to complete the sweep with a 12-2 win. The Knights managed just four hits for the third straight game, finishing the series with a total of 11. Trailing 7-0 in the seventh, Rutgers briefly sparked hope by scoring two runs on a USC throwing error, but the Trojans responded with five more runs over the final two innings to put the game out of reach.
The sweep extends Rutgers' losing streak to four games, and the Scarlet Knights will need to regroup quickly as they return home. With the offense struggling to produce and the pitching staff facing high-scoring lineups, the upcoming week presents a critical opportunity to turn things around and get back in the win column.