ROUNDUP: USC'S MORALES DELIVERS IN CLUTCH.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Michael Morales spent last season cleaning up for the USC baseball team.

As a team manager, he did laundry, took inventory of equipment and did other chores.

Morales cleaned up for the Trojans again Sunday - this time as a hitter.

Morales' single in the 11th inning scored Jon Brewster from second to spark a 5-4 victory for the Trojans over UCLA in front of 826 at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The win was USC's second of the three-game nonconference series.

Morales didn't figure he'd get a chance to do any hitting in the series finale. He entered the game with just two at-bats this season and was not one of the players to take part in the morning batting practice. Morales entered the game in the ninth inning as a pinch runner for designated hitter Josh Persell, representing the go-ahead run at second base. However, he did not advance any further and the score remained locked at 4-4.

After having the side retired in order in the 10th, Brewster led off the 11th with his second hit of the day and stole second. One out later, Morales made sure the Trojans (8-2) didn't have to worry about one of their top hitters being out of the lineup. He drove the 2-2 pitch from Bruins sophomore Doug Silva (1-1) to right field for USC's first lead since the sixth inning.

``That was the first time I'd swung a bat all day,'' Morales said. ``I just know my role. I understand that I'm supposed to be the guy late in the game they need a base runner to score on a base hit. That's what I was there for. I was ready to do that. . . . I had the fortunate opportunity to get involved in the at-bat. I wasn't expecting it. I thought there was a hitter coming up for me, but fortunately I got up there and just tried to do my job, put the bat on the ball.''

The sophomore has two hits and two RBI in three at-bats.

``That's a good thing happening to a good guy,'' Trojans coach Mike Gillespie said. ``He's hung in there and earned an opportunity and all of our players love that.''

Heroics from role players like Morales were needed to compensate for USC's three errors and 14 runners left on base against a UCLA (8-4) lineup Gillespie said his team definitely won't overlook during conference play.

Relievers Jordan Olson and Fraser Dizard (1-0) were among the others who haven't seen much playing time but made significant contributions. Olson went 3 1/3 innings, during which he retired nine consecutive batters in his longest outing of the year. Dizard pitched a hitless final 2 1/3 innings.

--CSUN 6, CS Dominguez Hills 0: J.T. Stotts went 4 for 5 with a home run, two RBI and three runs to lead the host Matadors (9-5) in a nonleague game, and four pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout.

Bill Murphy (3-0) struck out six and allowed two hits in six innings. Jason Allec and Tim Coltey each went 2 for 4 with an RBI for Northridge.

--Pepperdine 9, Tulane 1: Jared Pitney homered and drove in four, Woody Cliffords doubled twice and drove in three, and Dan Haren went 4 for 5 with a double and two RBI for the visiting Waves (8-1).

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Photo: (color) UCLA's Josh Canales, left, tags out USC's Bill Peavey, who was caught trying to steal second during Sunday's game.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer