LOS ANGELES – The combination of Cole Kitchen and Nick Sando held USC to just two hits but one left the park and the Santa Clara bats were held quite in a 2-0 defeat to open the 2022 season.

The lone runs of the night came two batters in. Rhylan Thomas led off the bottom of the first for the Trojans (1-0) with a walk and D'Andre Smith followed with a two-run shot to left.

After that Kitchen (0-1) settled in and didn't allow another hit. He finished his start with six strikeouts and three walks in 4 innings of work. Sando relieved him for the final 4 innings and was just as good, allowing a hit and two walks with three strikeouts.

Things didn't go as well on the offensive side as the Broncos (0-1) picked up just two hits of their own. Coleman Brigman singled in the third and Dawson Brigman added a single in the second. Santa Clara managed to take five walks on the day while striking out just four times, but the balls in play found gloves.

The Broncos did get two on in the first and second innings but the clutch hit never came. They brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth as well with a walk, but a double play ended the evening.

Isaac Edqueda (1-0) started for USC and tossed 5 shutout innings while allowing a hit with three walks and two strikeouts. Carson Lambert picked up the save while throwing the final 4 frames. He allowed a hit with two walks and two strikeouts.

NEXT UP
Game two of the series is tomorrow at 2 p.m.

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