Home 2012 Season Coverage CBD Photo Gallery: Aaron West Dominates USC in 91-Pitch, Four-Hit Shutout

CBD Photo Gallery: Aaron West Dominates USC in 91-Pitch, Four-Hit Shutout

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Aaron West only needed 91 pitches for the shutout.LOS ANGELES — Washington ace Aaron West was brilliant Friday night in the opener of a crucial Pac-12 conference showdown.

The right-handed redshirt junior needed only 91 pitches to carve up the USC lineup in a 7-0 complete game shutout. No USC baserunner reached second base as West allowed only four singles.

He faced only two batters above the minimum, wiping out two of the singles with double plays.

Even though he didn’t need it, West got plenty of run support. The Huskies pounded out 15 hits and notched seven runs. Jayce Ray and Trevor Mitsui both had three hits and an RBI each. Brandon Berry and Jacob Lamb also recorded multi-hit games.

USC freshman Nigel Nootbaar, making his second career start, had everything fall apart in the second inning. The game turned on a sacrifice bunt attempt that Nootbaar threw into centerfield when it had the potential to be a double play. Instead of two outs, there were two men on with no outs. Back-to-back singles plated two runs and a two-out single by Ray made it 3-0.

Lamb led off the third inning with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by Mitsui. The Huskies added three runs in the eighth and ninth inning against seldom used USC relievers Brett Williams and Nick Berhel.

The one bright spot for the Trojans was the performance by reliever Matt Munson, who struck out two and did not allow a baserunner in three innings. Dante Flores had two of USC’s four hits, but was also doubled off first base on a routine fly ball to right field to end the game.

The two teams return to Dedeaux Field Saturday at 2 p.m. Andrew Triggs (4-4, 3.14 ERA) will take the mound for USC. Freshman Tyler Davis (2-2, 2.65 ERA) will likely go for Washington.

Check out the 16-shot photo gallery from Friday evening’s USC/Washington matchup below:

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