USC baseball looks to rebound in tough College Station Regional
The #2 seed Trojans, who disastrously fell in the last at bat to UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament semis, resume play Friday against Texas State
USC starting pitcher Andrew Johnson delivers against ILL on March 8 at Dedeaux, where the Trojans went 32-1 this season. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
NCAA College Station Regional: USC (43-15) vs TEXAS ST (36-24), Friday, 6 p.m. PDT, Blue Bell Park, College Station, Texas,ESPNU
Haley Sawyer (OC Register) — Two outs and nobody on? Not a big deal for a USC baseball team that’s been trained to be present-minded.
“That’s not a death sentence,” Trojans junior Kevin Takeuchi told reporters. “We just go out there, take it one pitch at a time, try and get on base and pass it to the next guy.”
That’s the mindset that could be the key to rebounding from a crushing 7-5 Big Ten Tournament semifinal loss to UCLA as the Trojans pursue their 22nd College World Series appearance.
USC is one of four Big Ten teams to qualify for the field of 64 in the NCAA Tournament, earning an at-large bid after posting a 43-15 record and finishing tied for third with Oregon at 20-10 in the conference standings.
This is the Trojans’ first 40-win season since 2005 and the program’s highest win total since 2001.
They’ll start in Texas with the College Station Regional, where they’re slated to play Texas State (36-24) on Friday at 6 p.m.
No. 12 national seed Texas A&M (39-14) and Lamar University (34-25) of Beaumont, Texas, will also play in the double-elimination regional. Only one team will advance to the best-of-three super regionals, which will be held at a site to be determined. The eight super regional winners advance to the CWS in Omaha, Neb.
USC’s Mason Edwards (8-0), Andrew Johnson (6-2), Chase Herrell and Ben Cushnie combined for a shutout of Michigan State in the Big Ten quarterfinals, with Edwards recording six strikeouts while allowing just two hits in four innings of work before a 90-minute rain delay.
Johnson and Herrell each threw two scoreless innings and Cushnie finished off the ninth inning to preserve USC’s 10th shutout of the season.
Edwards, a junior with a 1.43 ERA, was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and ranks fourth in Trojans history with 160 strikeouts on the season. The Palisades Charter High product and Johnson and Grant Govel (10-2) lead a rotation backed by a deep bullpen. Govel joined Edwards on the All-Big Ten first team.
“It’s always good to go and pick whoever pitcher you have in the bullpen and be like, ‘Yeah, this guy can get us out of it and go long into the game,’” Edwards said.
USC led UCLA (51-6), which earned the No. 1 national seed, in the ninth inning of the conference semifinals before Mulivai Levu hit a walk-off, three-run home run to get the Bruins the win and move on to win the entire tournament.
Takeuchi owns the second-best batting average on the USC team (.305) behind Jack Basseer (14), an All-Big Ten second-teamer who is slashing .356/.446/.678 on the season.
Texas State is one of nine schools that will comprise a new-look Pac-12 Conference next year, but this season, they were fourth-place finishers in the Sun Belt Conference in the regular season.
The Bobcats are making their seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament. They earned an at-large bid to the College Station Regional after a 7-4 loss to Louisiana, which ranks No. 33 in the RPI rankings, in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals.
Second-team all-conference outfielder Rashawn Galloway leads the team with a .324 batting average and a .594 slugging percentage. Texas State lacks pitching depth, however, and none of its three starters own an ERA lower than 4.01.
Odds, Home Crowds and History …
USC’s baseball program has a long history of success. The Trojans have won 12 national championships in prorgram history, with their last title coming in 1998. Since then, USC has only made the College World Series in 2000 and 2001. It has now been 25 years since the Trojans made it that far and they will look to change that this year.
It will be a tall task for one of the three road teams to win this regional as Texas A&M has been one of the most consistent baseball programs in recent times. The Aggies have made four of the past five NCAA Tournaments since 2022 and made the College World Series twice in this span (2022 and 2024). In 2024, they fell in the national championship to the Tennessee Volunteers.
Another factor that will be difficult for USC, Texas State, and Lamar to overcome is Texas A&M’s home crowd. The Aggies home crowd is among the best in college baseball. They are most known for their “Ball Five” chant when an opposing pitcher is struggling to find the strike zone during a game. The whole crowd chants as one “Ball” and then adds however many balls in a row the pitcher has thrown. It can get in a player’s head.
Per FanDuel Sportsbook, USC has odds of +200 to win in College Station and advance to the Super Regionals. Explosive and powerful Texas A&M is the solid favorite with odds of -195 to win it in front of that intimidating home crowd.
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An early exit would make UCLA the first No. 1 overall seed to go “two-and-out” (losing their first two games) in the regional round. No No. 1 national seed has ever been swept out of the postseason in the opening weekend. This would be the biggest upset in the history of regionals if UCLA loses, and the score is 4-3, VT leads in the top of the 9th with a man on second and no outs. Updates: VT now leads 5-3 in the top of the 9th, no outs. UCLA hits back-to-back homers to lead off the 9th and is… Read more »
USC and TEXAS ST tied 3-3 after five innings. USC stranding runners in scoring position all over the place. Seven hits. Poor base running too. Trojans are a very frustrating team to watch so far tonight. Should have a decent lead instead of being tied. So many missed opportunities. Grant Govel is still on the mound and has a four hitter going on this hot night in College Station. Updates — Top of the eighth and it’s still 3-3. USC has now stranded 11 runners in seven innings and is only one for 13 with runners in scoring position. USC’s… Read more »
I have to admit I was suspicious of the Trojan record feeding up on non-division 1 competition throughout the season and not having that great of a record on stiffer competition. I question the “mini-steps” this coaching staff is building up the baseball program. How much longer will these coaches be able to talk their way in keeping their job with Jen?
I’m still in Stanky’s corner, but some luster has come off his sheen. Watching USC baseball more closely this last month or so has revealed this program still has quite a ways to go to compete with the best. There’s definitely been some questionable coaching moves, but 20/20 always looks clearer. None-the-less, after so many years of rank futility for a program with the bloodline of USC, I’m happy with what Stanky has accomplished and hopefully he can attract some better hitters who hit better in the clutch. I figure that’s a hard skill to master, so I’m not blaming… Read more »
Oh wow! Thanks to Jac Johnson’s solo home run in ninth, St. Mary’s (35-25) just beat 51-7 UCLA 3-2 to blow open the #1 UCLA-hosted L.A. Regional. UCLA becomes the first-ever No. 1 overall seed to lose their opening game under the current tournament format (since 1999). As one fan proclaimed — “The only thing we know about baseball is that we know nothing about baseball.” Saint Mary’s will now face the winner of Virginia Tech (2) vs. Cal Poly (3) — who play Friday night — in the winner’s bracket on Saturday at 6 p.m. PDT; UCLA will face… Read more »
Smart move to start Govel Grant Govel will be pitching for USC tonight (6 pm PT) vs TEXAS ST, not ace Mason Edwards (8-0 with a 1.43 ERA over 88.1 innings), who will be held for a potential matchup against favorite A&M on Saturday. This could give the Trojans the advantage they need vs the heaving hitting Aggies who feast on home runs and slugging percentage. “We feel like he matches up really well against Texas State,” Andy Stankiewicz said of Govel. “Texas State can hit, man. We see that. We looked at the video. They’re physical. They’re strong. They’re… Read more »
I hope holding back for A&M Edwards back doesn’t blow up in our face. Texas State hits with a lot of power. As for the bruins, love seeing them lose, but I feel like they will still advance to the Super.
IMHO, we wasted starting Mason Edwards against MICH ST, then didn’t use him against UCLA and immediately lost. I think this was a mistake on Stanky’s part. Sure enough, now that USC is in the regional, Stanky hold’s back Edwards for A&M. Every move is always a risk. I think this is one I would take, but at this stage, every game is certainly losable for a variety of reasons. Ya, I doubt UCLA is finished, but it was great to see them absorb a record-setting opening Regional loss, even if it won’t in all likelihood derail them. I’ve never… Read more »
Takeuchi
Trojans fighting on.Up 9-2 over A & M in 7th. Still uphill since we need to beat them twice.
SC’s offense since losing to TEXAS ST 4-5 on Friday “has been like a freight train going downhill,” said one of the announcers.
SC now leads 13-3. Make that 14-3. Trojan hitters are just punishing everything they swing at.
The Trojans bats have come alive. They’ve scored 48 runs in the last 3 games. That’s 16 runs a game.
USC plays the loser of tonight’s game between A&M and TEXAS ST on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT, with the winner of that game advancing to the Regional final.
A&M leads TEXAS ST 8-2 in the top of the 6th.
I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it. Typical 2026 Bruins, I’m afraid to say.
#1 UCLA comes from two runs behind in the 9th with two homers to beat VT 6-5.
52-7 UCLA has the most come-from-behind wins in the country with 29. They haven’t lost back-to-back games all year.
An early exit would make UCLA the first No. 1 overall seed to go “two-and-out” (losing their first two games) in the regional round. No No. 1 national seed has ever been swept out of the postseason in the opening weekend. This would be the biggest upset in the history of regionals if UCLA loses, and the score is 4-3, VT leads in the top of the 9th with a man on second and no outs. Updates: VT now leads 5-3 in the top of the 9th, no outs. UCLA hits back-to-back homers to lead off the 9th and is… Read more »
Now USC 16-1 over Lamar, bottom of the 5th. Couldn’t Stanky pull Edwards and save something for tomorrow?
Agree
BTW, UCLA and VT are tied 3-3 in the 7th.
Update: VT moved ahead 4-3 in the 8th.
I spoke too soon. Edwards had to be pulled. Gave up 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th.
USC and TEXAS ST tied 3-3 after five innings. USC stranding runners in scoring position all over the place. Seven hits. Poor base running too. Trojans are a very frustrating team to watch so far tonight. Should have a decent lead instead of being tied. So many missed opportunities. Grant Govel is still on the mound and has a four hitter going on this hot night in College Station. Updates — Top of the eighth and it’s still 3-3. USC has now stranded 11 runners in seven innings and is only one for 13 with runners in scoring position. USC’s… Read more »
I have to admit I was suspicious of the Trojan record feeding up on non-division 1 competition throughout the season and not having that great of a record on stiffer competition. I question the “mini-steps” this coaching staff is building up the baseball program. How much longer will these coaches be able to talk their way in keeping their job with Jen?
I’m still in Stanky’s corner, but some luster has come off his sheen. Watching USC baseball more closely this last month or so has revealed this program still has quite a ways to go to compete with the best. There’s definitely been some questionable coaching moves, but 20/20 always looks clearer. None-the-less, after so many years of rank futility for a program with the bloodline of USC, I’m happy with what Stanky has accomplished and hopefully he can attract some better hitters who hit better in the clutch. I figure that’s a hard skill to master, so I’m not blaming… Read more »
Oh wow! Thanks to Jac Johnson’s solo home run in ninth, St. Mary’s (35-25) just beat 51-7 UCLA 3-2 to blow open the #1 UCLA-hosted L.A. Regional. UCLA becomes the first-ever No. 1 overall seed to lose their opening game under the current tournament format (since 1999). As one fan proclaimed — “The only thing we know about baseball is that we know nothing about baseball.” Saint Mary’s will now face the winner of Virginia Tech (2) vs. Cal Poly (3) — who play Friday night — in the winner’s bracket on Saturday at 6 p.m. PDT; UCLA will face… Read more »
Smart move to start Govel Grant Govel will be pitching for USC tonight (6 pm PT) vs TEXAS ST, not ace Mason Edwards (8-0 with a 1.43 ERA over 88.1 innings), who will be held for a potential matchup against favorite A&M on Saturday. This could give the Trojans the advantage they need vs the heaving hitting Aggies who feast on home runs and slugging percentage. “We feel like he matches up really well against Texas State,” Andy Stankiewicz said of Govel. “Texas State can hit, man. We see that. We looked at the video. They’re physical. They’re strong. They’re… Read more »
I hope holding back for A&M Edwards back doesn’t blow up in our face. Texas State hits with a lot of power. As for the bruins, love seeing them lose, but I feel like they will still advance to the Super.
IMHO, we wasted starting Mason Edwards against MICH ST, then didn’t use him against UCLA and immediately lost. I think this was a mistake on Stanky’s part. Sure enough, now that USC is in the regional, Stanky hold’s back Edwards for A&M. Every move is always a risk. I think this is one I would take, but at this stage, every game is certainly losable for a variety of reasons. Ya, I doubt UCLA is finished, but it was great to see them absorb a record-setting opening Regional loss, even if it won’t in all likelihood derail them. I’ve never… Read more »