The USC Trojans knew when they woke up on Thursday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona, that if they defeated the Washington Huskies in their last round-robin game of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament, they would qualify for Friday’s semifinal round. Now, they know that even if they lose to Washington, they have a very realistic path to the semifinals.
In Thursday’s first game — the 10 a.m. game from Scottsdale Stadium — fifth-seeded Arizona State beat second-seeded Oregon State, 14-10. The Beavers, whose pitching staff got shredded this week, have been eliminated from the tournament. They lost to Arizona, 13-12, on Wednesday. This 14-10 defeat knocks them out.
Because the Pac-12 Tournament’s pool play structure gives tiebreakers to higher seeds, Oregon State being eliminated means that even if USC loses to third-seeded Washington, the Trojans — seeded fourth — still have a good chance of making the semifinals.
Because USC already beat UCLA this week at the Pac-12 Tournament, the Trojans will win a tiebreaker with fifth-seeded Arizona State and sixth-seeded Oregon. ASU has already lost a game this week, so the Trojans are guaranteed to finish above ASU no matter what. Oregon, however, defeated Cal on Tuesday. The Ducks need to lose in order for USC to win a potential tiebreaker with Oregon.
The good news for USC: Oregon faces No. 1 seed Stanford in the late game on Thursday. If the Trojans can’t beat Washington, they’re still in the semis if Stanford beats Oregon.
USC has to like its chances.
The Trojans would have to lose to Washington and see Oregon upset Stanford in order to fall short of the semifinals. That’s they only way they won’t play on Friday in the desert.
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