USC baseball took on a demanding trio of opponents this weekend, squaring off against UConn, No. 18 Vanderbilt and crosstown rival UCLA. Entering the series with a 7-1 record, the Trojans took two of three games, showcasing both their potential and areas of improvement. 

The Trojans (9-2) opened the series with an 8-5 victory over UConn (2-7) Friday night at Great Park in Irvine. The Huskies struck first in the second inning, capitalizing on a passed ball and an RBI double by freshman catcher Connor Lane. 

However, the Trojans responded in a major way, fueled by an impressive performance from junior infielder and pitcher Ethan Hedges. The junior infielder went 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in three runs and swiping three stolen bases to help the Trojans overcome the early deficit. 

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Hedges’ impact extended beyond his bat, showcasing a perfect fielding percentage against UConn and a .875 mark in this series overall. 

“He’s grown up, and I think you’ve just got a guy that’s starting to get more comfortable in the batter’s box,” said Head Coach Andy Stankiewicz. “He’s also using the bullpen and some save opportunities, and he seems to be relishing that role.”

However, the Trojans’ offense was far from a one-man show, as freshman catcher John Elliott and junior outfielder Jack Basseer each launched solo home runs in the third and fourth innings, respectively. Meanwhile, sophomore infielder Abbrie Covarrubias added an impressive inside-the-park homer in the eighth, further showcasing USC’s offensive firepower.

On the mound, junior pitcher Caden Hunter delivered a solid start, striking out six over the same number of innings and allowing just one earned run. Freshman pitcher Grant Govel sealed the win with a nine-out save, holding off a late UConn rally in the ninth.

USC’s matchup against Vanderbilt on Saturday showcased its pitching prowess and ability to compete with the top teams in the nation. Behind a dominant start from senior pitcher Caden Aoki and a save from Hedges, the Trojans secured a 3-1 victory. 

Aoki was nearly untouchable, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while striking out 10 batters over seven innings. Vanderbilt’s sophomore pitcher Ethan McElvain struggled, surrendering two runs in just over two innings of work.

USC broke through in the bottom of the third inning, with sophomore outfielder Brayden Dowd rocketing a double into left field. Redshirt junior shortstop Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek followed with an RBI double. After walks to Hedges and graduate outfielder Kade Higgins loaded the bases, sophomore first baseman Dean Carpentier hit a sacrifice fly to extend the lead.

The Commodores managed to scratch across a run in the seventh, capitalizing on a rare defensive miscue from Hedges, who closed the door in the ninth inning to secure his fourth save of the season.

The win over the Commodores — a historically dominant baseball program with incredible talent — was a major statement by the Trojans that their good form to start the season is legitimate and sustainable.

In a highly anticipated showdown the next day at Jackie Robinson Stadium, USC came down from the high of the Vanderbilt win, falling to UCLA despite out-hitting the Bruins 10-7. The Trojans struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, stranding 11 runners on base across nine innings — a recurring issue that proved costly against UCLA’s disciplined pitching staff.

 “We’ve just got to learn from this. We’ve got to understand it’s a long season from this,” Stankiewicz said. “Don’t get too high, too low. Just get back to work on Tuesday and get it moving again in the right direction.”

The Bruins struck first in the second inning, with redshirt sophomore outfielder Payton Brennan scoring on an infield single by redshirt senior outfielder AJ Salgado. The game remained tight until the bottom of the fifth, when sophomore shortstop Roch Cholowsky delivered a decisive three-run homer off USC freshman pitcher Andrew Johnson, extending UCLA’s lead to 4-0. 

USC finally broke through in the seventh on a one-out RBI single by Elliott, but Cholowsky responded with his second home run of the night — a solo shot to re-establish a four-run lead.

Hedges continued to make his presence felt against the Bruins, going 1-for-4 at the plate, reaching base twice and stealing a base. However, it was far from his best performance of the weekend, and the Trojan offense as a whole sputtered.

“We’ve got some things we’ve got to clean up offensively, like some of our swings and not staying on the ball like we should,” Stankiewicz said. “We’re starting to get a little pull-happy, so we just got to make sure our guys have a better approach at the plate.”

As USC looks ahead to the rest of the season, Hedges’ ability to contribute both at the plate and on the mound has given the Trojans a unique weapon. Over the weekend, Hedges went .455 with four stolen bases, three RBIs and a save. His emergence as a two-way star will be exciting for fans to watch as the season continues.

While the weekend ended sourly with the loss to UCLA, the Trojans displayed resilience and depth against a challenging slate of opponents. Their ability to bounce back from early deficits and rely on both offensive firepower and pitching depth bodes well for the remainder of the season. 

USC will next look to make noise against No. 16 UC Santa Barbara (9-2) Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Page Stadium in Los Angeles. Then, the Trojans will head to Irvine for a three-game series against No. 10 Oregon (10-2) Friday through Sunday at Great Park Stadium.