Despite some recent bumps in the road, USC baseball continued one of its best starts in program history over Spring Break, led by astonishing performances on the mound.

Following the best start in program history (19-0) and a tied record for the longest winning streak in program history, No. 12 USC (24-2, 8-1 Big Ten) has made a name for itself among some of the top programs this season. From strong arms to heavy bats, the squad seems to have the tools for success, though there are some hurdles to be overcome. 

With a bit more than half of the season remaining, the Trojans will need to be on top of their game to put the cherry on top of a historic run and a potential shot at the College World Series in Omaha. 

Strong start propels USC into Top 25 

Starting the season with a 7-0 run, including series sweeps of both Pepperdine University (6-18, 2-1 West Coast) and Rice University (15-11, 1-2 American Athletic), USC broke into the Top 25.

The Trojans then broke the program record for the best start in USC history after a 6-1 win over Long Beach State University (8-16, 3-6 Big West Conference).

Entering a weekend doubleheader against Northwestern (8-12-1, 2-4), USC was the last remaining undefeated team in the country. The Trojans took the first two but lost the final game, shattering their team record-breaking undefeated streak at 19.

Still, USC won 24 of its first 25 games before facing its first ranked opponent, No. 16 Oregon State (18-5). The Beavers marked the Trojans’ first-ever loss at the new Deadeux Field and reliving memories from the brutal beatings in last year’s NCAA Regional Finals.

In the 12-4 loss on Tuesday, the Beavers scored nine runs in the first four frames before the Trojans’ bats started making some noise and added four runs to the board.

However, these four runs would be the only scoring made by USC, as Oregon State would seal the game with three insurance runs in the ninth. No Trojan pitcher tossed more than two innings on the mound.

Key performances on the mound, diamond

With many standout players and performances so far, rediscovering its rhythm could help USC find its first ranked win this season. 

On the mound, Trojan pitchers are allowing just 5.2 hits and 2.4 runs per game. The rotation is led by junior left-handed pitcher Mason Edwards, who also leads Division I with an ERA of 0.25 — just one earned run in 36 innings pitched. 

Edwards has allowed only seven hits and struck out 64 batters. He has earned three Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors, with his third coming from last weekend’s 5-0 shutout of Washington (10-14, 4-5).

Freshman pitcher Gavin Lauridsen, who received Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honors on Monday for a scoreless final three innings of the Washington shutout, is another standout arm for the Trojans.

Sophomore pitcher Grant Govel continues to be someone the Trojans can trust on the mound, holding a 0.69 ERA, good for fifth in Division I. Leading the team with 39 innings pitched, Govel has struck out 41 batters and leads the nation with six wins. 

At the plate, the team holds a solid .268 batting average, averaging 8.5 hits and 6.7 runs per game. 

Of the lineup mainstays, sophomore utility player Maximo Martinez leads the team with a .319 batting average. Junior outfielder Kevin Takeuchi and junior infielder Adrian Lopez are the only other qualified two players hitting over .300.

With five home runs and a .606 slugging percentage, senior outfielder Jack Basseer leads the team in both categories. His walk-off two-run shot over the left field wall called the game in the 4-3 win over CSU Bakersfield (9-15, 3-6 Big West) on March 18.

Challenges await Trojans in second half 

Heading into the latter half of the season, USC has a few big mountains to climb.

The hardest challenge all season will come against No. 1 UCLA (22-2, 9-0) on April 3 to 5 in Westwood. The Trojans are 41-52 all-time against UCLA, although they took an 11-5 win in their most recent meeting last season. This season, the Bruins have looked especially formidable, with wins over multiple ranked programs.

A series against No. 20 Oregon (21-4, 7-2) will close out the regular season and prove to be another challenge for USC, which was swept by the Ducks in last season’s series.

Overcoming both of these ranked powerhouses could give the team momentum as it approaches the Big Ten Tournament in late May and a potential spot in the College Baseball World Series. 

USC’s next matchup comes at College Park for the start of a three-game series against Maryland (11-13, 1-5) on Friday at 3 p.m.