USC baseball gets swept by Arizona, moves back toward the NCAA bubble

It is really rather remarkable to contemplate the journey USC baseball has made this season. The Trojans have dramatically improved from 2022 and previous years. They’re right in the middle of the chase for an NCAA Tournament berth. This season has definitely brightened the long-term outlook for the program. Yet, within this encouraging campaign, the Trojans have run up against one consistent point of irritation: They can’t seem to play remotely well enough on the road.

USC has lost just six games at home all season long. The Trojans have won just six games away from home this year. Baseball is the same game whether it is played in Los Angeles, or Corvallis, or Seattle, or Salt Lake City, or Phoenix, or Palo Alto, or Eugene, or Berkeley, or anywhere else, but for some reason, USC just can’t win many games away from Dedeaux Field.

The road woes continued for the Trojans on Friday in Tucson. USC got swept by the Wildcats, 13-4 and then 6-3. The two losses push USC back toward the NCAA Tournament bubble. USC will need to find a way to grab at least one win if not more if it wants to feel reasonably good about its bubble odds.

Let’s review Friday’s unfortunate events:

GAME 1 KEY PLAY

GAME 2 KEY PLAY

PITCHING GOT MASHED

ROUGH DAY AND NIGHT

STATS

SERIES FINALE

USC Baseball — Taylor Jones of Auburn Wire

The final game of this series against Arizona is Saturday at 6:05 p.m. Pacific time in Tucson on Pac-12 Network.

Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire