The Trojans came into the weekend facing one of the most critical series of the season so far, and were looking to answer lingering questions surrounding the squad. 

No. 23 USC (30-11, 13-8 Big Ten) had struggled both on the road and against tougher competition, and a three-game series on the road against No. 20 Nebraska (31-9, 15-3) — second in the Big Ten — was the perfect time for the Trojans to address those concerns. 

Slowly but surely, USC appeared to be rising to the occasion, as the Trojans built a five-run lead on the Cornhuskers heading into the eighth inning Friday night, looking to take game one and set the tone for the series.

From that point on, however, Nebraska took all the momentum and never looked back for the rest of the series. The Trojans were swept for the second time this season, dropping all three games to the Cornhuskers, each in walk-off fashion. 

Late Nebraska comeback on Friday sets tone for series

USC’s offense came out hot early, overpowering redshirt junior pitcher Cooper Katskee, who allowed five runs in just three innings. The offensive attack, paired with stellar starting pitching, should have been a recipe for success for the Trojans. Despite a 7-2 lead after seven innings, Nebraska mounted a furious comeback to win 8-7 in extra innings. 

The early USC barrage was led by senior outfielder Jack Basseer, who tallied three hits in his five at-bats, contributing to his team-leading .333 average. Basseer knocked in two RBIs thanks to two doubles in back-to-back plate appearances. 

Junior outfielder Kevin Takeuchi continued his dominance at the plate, picking up two hits and two RBIs of his own. He and Basseer remain the only Trojans with an average above .300. 

Junior pitcher Mason Edwards continued to shine on the mound, following a 16-strikeout performance against Iowa (21-16, 7-11) just a week prior. Edwards tacked on another 12 strikeouts in seven innings pitched against the Cornhuskers on Friday, allowing only two runs, again displaying why he was announced as Perfect Game’s Midseason Pitcher of the Year.

Despite the commanding start from Edwards, freshman pitcher Gavin Lauridsen allowed three runs in only 2/3 innings of work after Edwards departed. Redshirt junior Adam Troy also gave up another two runs in the ninth inning, tying the game and forcing extra innings. 

In the tenth inning, an error by junior pitcher Sax Matson brought home the game-ending run, clinching the Nebraska win and the first of three walk-offs for the Cornhuskers in the series. The error secured the comeback win and a crushing loss for the Trojans.

Cornhuskers clinch series in convincing Saturday victory

Saturday’s game was one for the Trojans to forget, as, for the first time all season, they were run-ruled. Their 12-2 loss lasted only seven innings, with both the pitching and offense unable to generate any success. 

Sophomore pitcher Grant Govel had his worst outing of the season to date, allowing a season-high seven runs in three innings pitched. The poor performance on the mound was a result of three home runs allowed by Govel, fueling the Cornhuskers’ performances on Saturday. 

Senior infielder Dylan Carey had three hits in four at-bats for Nebraska and hit one of its three home runs in the game. Carey continues to shine for the Cornhuskers, with an average now over .390 this season, leading his team in hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. 

On the mound for Nebraska, redshirt sophomore pitcher Carson Jasa threw all seven innings in the game, allowing only two runs and striking out seven Trojans along the way. His shutdown of their offense boosted his record to 7-1 this season, along with securing his second complete game of the year and the series for the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska’s second run-rule victory leads to sweep 

Sunday’s 16-6 final score showed the same result as Saturday’s game: a 10-run Nebraska victory to end the game early. What the final score doesn’t show, however, is that USC — unlike the previous game — was competitive early on. 

The Trojans led the contest after three innings, thanks to impressive performances of Takeuchi and Basseer once again, along with sophomore catcher Augie Lopez. 

Lopez was the star for USC’s offense, blasting two solo home runs, while Takeuchi tacked on a three-run home run, one of his two hits on the day. Basseer started the scoring with an RBI single and finished the day leading the Trojans in hits with three. 

Despite the relatively strong offensive performance from USC, the pitching disappointed once again in the series. Sophomore pitcher Andrew Johnson replicated Govel’s start, going just three innings with seven runs allowed. His performance tied Johnson’s shortest outing and the most runs allowed in an outing this season, increasing his ERA to 4.53. 

The bullpen did not offer much support either, as four more Trojans allowed at least one run, with a total of seven pitchers used in the affair. 

The struggles of the pitching staff were once again attributed to just how good the Cornhuskers were at the plate. Carey had a dominant four-hit day, with a double and a home run contributing to his two RBIs. 

Additionally, junior outfielder Mac Moyer and freshman outfielder Drew Grego for Nebraska had four RBIs each. Moyer’s three-run home run gave the Cornhuskers the lead that they would not relinquish, while Grego’s grand slam put the game out of reach for USC, securing the sweep.

USC will look to regain momentum following the sweep, as they face off against Cal State Fullerton (19-19, 11-7 Big West) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Fullerton.