Five most important series remaining for USC Baseball


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USC Trojan baseball player on the field
Redshirt sophomore Tyresse Turner rounds the bases during USC’s 11-10 victory against California State, Fullerton March 22. Turner had 3 hits and 1 run in the win. (Polina Past | Daily Trojan)

As March turns into April and the due dates for final exams and papers inch closer, there’s no better way to avoid the stress of the second semester than by watching some baseball. 

While the Trojans are well above .500 in their overall record, their conference play has left something to be desired, going 4-5 thus far. Fortunately, there are plenty of high-stakes series remaining for the USC baseball team. Here’s a breakdown of the five key remaining series for USC as it seeks to climb out of the bottom half of the Pac-12 rankings.  

At Home vs. No. 3 Oregon State

Potentially the Trojans’ biggest matchup, No. 3 Oregon State comes to Los Angeles with a 19-5 overall record, 6-3 in conference play. 

The Beavers have a strong batting lineup, with a team average of .336 and over 10 runs scored in 10 of their 24 games. Junior outfielder Jacob Melton has had a monster season, with an on-base-percentage of .405, slugging percentage of .760 and 9 home runs in 24 games. 

USC’s bullpen will need to be on their A-game when facing the Beavers. 

At Home vs. No. 15 Arizona

Another telling series for the Trojans will be against No. 15 Arizona in May. Fortunately for USC, this series will also take place in the comfort of Dedeaux Field in L.A.

The Wildcats started the season with three consecutive wins against Kansas State, Oklahoma and then-No. 14 Texas Tech. Recently, Arizona swept Stanford, winning its three games by a combined score of 19-10. With strong starting pitchers such as sophomore TJ Nichols and senior Garrett Irvin, the Wildcats can control the game from the pitching mound. 

Away vs. Arizona State

The Trojans will travel to Tempe to face Arizona State in mid-April. With an 11-15 record, the Sun Devils haven’t had the best of seasons. However, they currently have a leg up on USC with a 3-3 record in Pac-12 play. 

The top eight teams in the

Pac-12 earn a spot in the conference tournament, so defeating teams that are similarly on the bubble will be crucial for USC. With a team ERA of 5.94, the Trojans could take advantage of a team that has struggled to keep opponents off of the scoreboard. 

At home vs. Washington

USC will have another chance to climb the Pac-12 standings against Washington in mid-May. The Huskies are fourth in the Pac-12 with a 5-4 conference record. 

Offensively, Washington is led by redshirt sophomore infielder Will Simpson, who has 7 home runs in 24 games, and redshirt sophomore catcher Johnny Tincher, who sports a .414 on base percentage and a .341 batting average. 

The Huskies have an impressive team ERA of 3.58 and have allowed double digits just once all season. Late in the season, a few wins against Washington would be big for the Trojans. 

Away vs. Stanford

A team that just fell out of the D1Baseball.com top 25, Stanford struggled in its series against Arizona and Oregon. Early in the season, the Cardinal had an impressive win against No. 2 Arkansas, in which junior starting pitcher Quinn Mathews allowed just 2 hits in the six innings he pitched. 

Stanford sits tied with USC in the Pac-12 standings, also sporting a 4-5 conference record. The Trojans will travel to Palo Alto to face the Cardinal in their last series of the season, and depending on how the season plays out, it could mean the difference between making the conference tournament and missing out on the postseason.