USC baseballs red-hot offense goes cold in loss to North Carolina

USC baseball is going to have to take the hard way to the College World Series.After winning the opener of their NCAA Tournament Super Regional, the Trojans’ momentum met a stronger opposing force Saturday.North Carolina ace Jason DeCaro shut down one of the hottest offenses in college baseball during the fifth-seeded Tar Heels’ 4-0 victory in Game 2 at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.By logging the first shutout in a Super Regional elimination game since Vanderbilt’s Kumar Rocker threw a no-hitter against Duke in 2019, DeCaro stifled an offense that had combined for 64 runs over its previous five games.Sweating through his jersey in the final innings while still reaching 95 mph on his fastball, DeCaro gave up only two hits and one walk while also hitting a batter.The junior right-hander piled up eight strikeouts, getting Kevin Takeuchi to chase a third strike on a curveball to end the game.USC (48-17) managed just four baserunners, none reaching second base.The end of the Trojans’ five-game postseason winning streak means that they must prevail in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday to advance to their first College World Series since 2001.While Trojans right-hander Grant Govel gave up only one run in five innings — on Colin Hynek’s solo homer in the second inning — the bullpen faltered, allowing three more runs.The most decorated program in college baseball history has some more work to do to get back to the game’s biggest stage for the first time in a quarter of a century.Who will start Game 3 on the mound for the Trojans?Options include freshman right-hander Diego Velasquez, who started the third game of USC’s regional, or sophomore right-hander Andrew Johnson, who delivered 3 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief against the Tar Heels on Friday.A USC bullpen that had been a strength in the opener of this series struggled mightily.After relieving Govel to start the sixth inning, Sax Matson gave up a home run on only his third pitch, sinking the ...