Nevada at Southern California
LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Nevada visits Southern California on Thursday, May 7, at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, a matchup pitting a struggling Wolf Pack squad against a Trojans team that owns the nation’s best record.
Nevada (21-21) enters on a three-game losing streak after being swept at San Diego State over the weekend, including a 2-8 loss Sunday. The Wolf Pack have dropped five of their last six.
Southern California (38-12) has won five straight, punctuated by Tuesday’s 13-4 rout of Cal State Fullerton. The Trojans have outscored opponents 53-10 during their streak.
Players to watch
Nevada right-hander Dominic Desch has been effective in relief despite an erratic season. In Sunday’s loss, he threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one. Over his last six appearances, Desch has a 3.60 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 12 innings, though he was tagged for four earned runs in two innings May 1 at San Diego State. He has not allowed a run in four of his last five outings.
For Southern California, designated hitter Augie Lopez is on a tear. In Tuesday’s win, he went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Lopez is batting .351 (13-for-37) with five homers and 12 RBIs. He has reached base in nine of his past 11 contests.
Recent results
Nevada’s offensive struggles were evident in the San Diego State series, where they managed just 10 runs in three games. The Wolf Pack are 8-12 on the road this season.
Southern California has been dominant at home, posting a 22-4 record at the Sports Arena. The Trojans’ pitching staff owns a 3.21 ERA over the last 10 games, while the offense averages 8.4 runs per contest.
Projection
Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-3 Southern California victory.
Series notes
The teams are scheduled to continue their series with games Friday and Saturday, also at the Sports Arena. Nevada then returns home to host Grand Canyon on May 14-16, while Southern California travels to Oregon for a three-game set starting May 14.
First pitch Thursday is set for 7 p.m. PDT.