Bears Rally Comes Up Short

BERKELEY – A leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the ninth by Rodney Green Jr. provided the Cal baseball team with a spark, but in the end could not overcome a three-run deficit as USC took game one 5-3 on Friday night at Stu Gordon Stadium.
 
USC (9-7-1, 3-1 Pac-12) got a strong start from Tyler Stromborg (1-1) who threw six complete, scattering two hits, and two runs, with three walks, while striking out eight. A three-run homerun by Bryce Grudzielanek in the top of the fifth was the big hit of the night for the Trojans, who finished with five hits on the evening.
 
For the 12^th time this season, Cal (8-7, 0-4) scored first. In the bottom of the third inning, Max Handron drew a one-out walk and advanced to third from first on a single down the left field line by Caleb Lomavita, who moved up to second on the throw to third. Rodney Green Jr. knocked in Handron for the game’s first run. Carson Crawford hit a deep fly ball to left field that knocked in Lomavita to give the Bears a two-run cushion.
 
Green Jr. finished 2-for-3 with two driven in, his home run in the ninth was his fifth of the season and 11^th of his career. Lomavita had the other hit, going 1-for-4 with a run scored. Kade Kretzschmar singled in the bottom of the ninth to extend his reach safely streak to 15 games, he was 1-for-4.
 
Christian Becerra made his first collegiate start on Friday and tossed a gem. He threw a career-high three innings, striking out four, and held USC to a…