As the college baseball season heats up, USC, led by Head Coach Andy Stankiewicz, gears up for a thrilling slate of games. Sitting at a 7-1 record — its best start since 2015 — USC is proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Now, the Trojans must brace themselves for a thrilling slate of games against the University of Connecticut, No. 14 Vanderbilt and crosstown rival UCLA.

The Trojans have been firing on all cylinders to open the season, showcasing a high-powered offense and a pitching staff nothing short of elite.

Junior infielder and pitcher Ethan Hedges leads USC’s offense. Hedges swings a hot bat with a .406 batting average, 13 RBIs and a home run. Graduate outfielder Kade Higgins also contributes to the Trojans’ formidable offense, hitting .375 with six RBIs and three home runs. Averaging over seven runs per game, USC has relentlessly kept opposing pitchers on their heels.

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On the mound, the Trojans prove just as dominant, posting an impressive 2.96 ERA with sophomore right-handed pitcher Garren Rizzo emerging as an early season ace. Rizzo has been lights out, boasting a perfect 4-0 record across 9.2 innings pitched and is still yet to allow a single run. 

Junior left-handed pitcher Caden Hunter also helps anchor the rotation, with a 2.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts in nine innings of work. One area the Trojans need to improve is backing up their pitching with solid defense — a task that has been a struggle so far.

“We haven’t played a great defense,” Stankiewicz said in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “If you don’t make the plays you’re supposed to, you’re going to put yourself in a tough spot.”

The Trojans will begin this slate of games on the road against UConn (1-5). While the Huskies have stumbled to a slow start, they’ve shown promise on the mound — led by senior right-handed pitcher Brady Afthim. In four innings, Afthim has yet to allow an earned run while racking up five strikeouts. 

Offensively, the Huskies have struggled, hitting just .309 as a team. Junior infielder Ryan Daniels has been a lone standout, slashing .440 with eight RBIs and two home runs. The Trojans’ strategy in pitching to Daniels, given the lack of productivity displayed by the rest of UConn’s lineup, will be key.

After its clash with UConn, USC faces one of the biggest tests of the season: a showdown with No. 14 Vanderbilt (8-1). The Commodores, a collegiate baseball powerhouse, have started strong and their offense shows an ability to stack up runs. Junior utility RJ Austin is Vanderbilt’s hottest bat this season, batting .455 with nine RBIs and one home run — while the team as a whole consistently produces results at the plate.

On the mound, Vanderbilt’s pitching staff is just as dominant. Junior right-handed pitcher Cody Bowker has been lights out, yet to surrender an earned run over nine innings of work. The Trojans will need to show patience at the plate, work deep counts and capitalize on any defensive errors by the Commodores to have a shot at pulling off a statement victory.

“Baseball is a game sometimes where you just play against the game, not necessarily the opponent,” Stankiewicz said.”If we play good baseball, compete well and execute what we’re trying to do, we’ll be in a good position to be competitive and see where it goes. If we don’t, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing — we’re going to get beat.”

The Trojans’ weekend will culminate in a battle for Los Angeles as USC clashes with crosstown rival UCLA. The Bruins (7-2), have mirrored USC’s early-season success, getting off to a quick start while impressing on both sides of the ball.

UCLA is batting .270 as a team, with sophomore infielder Roch Cholowsky leading the team hitting .387 with 14 RBIs and three home runs.

Meanwhile on the mound, UCLA’s pitching staff has proven just as impressive, boasting a 2.70 team ERA. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Luke Rodriguez and sophomore right-handed pitcher Justin Lee have been nearly untouchable — yet to allow an earned run. USC’s hitters will need to be sharp and opportunistic.

Last season, the Bruins got the better of the Trojans, taking two of three battles with USC. This time around, with both teams off to great starts, this game promises to be an intense battle.

 “We just need to show up every day ready to work, be competitive, aggressive and confident,” Stankiewicz said. “Go to the plate with conviction, go to the mound with conviction and be ready to be aggressive. That’s always going to be the way we approach it. It puts you in a good spot to get a win, sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s our approach.”

USC will first take UConn on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Vanderbilt on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Great Park in Irvine. Then the Trojans will head to Westwood on Sunday to battle the Bruins at 2 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium.