USC Trojans Baseball On the Verge of History

This performance by Govel comes after junior left-handed pitcher Mason Edwards put on a show in the Trojans' 4-0 shutout win over the Fighting Illini on Friday. In the Trojans' shutout win on Friday, Edwards pitched in six innings, recording 11 strikeouts and allowing only two hits to improve his record to 3-0 on the season. 

How Pitching Can Play Role In Trojans Success

As the Trojans' season continues and they get into the heat of Big Ten play in April and early May, the performance of USC’s pitchers is bound to play a crucial role in helping them become one of the best teams in the conference and make it back to the NCAA Tournament with the potential for more. 

Following a 2025 season that featured the Trojans posting a 37-23 overall record and finishing 18-12 in Big Ten conference play, USC looks to take a major step forward by being more consistent and making a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament. Judging off the 14-0 start to the 2026 season, so far, the Trojans are on the right track.  

Top Performers In USC's Shutout Win Over Illinois

Top offensive performers for the Trojans in the second win of their three-game weekend series against the Illinois Fighting Illini included junior infielders Adrian Lopez and Kevin Takeuchi. Lopez led the Trojans in the win over the Fighting Illini, recording two runs and two hits. Takeuchi added two hits and one run for the Trojans. 

The Trojans are one of two undefeated teams remaining in college baseball. The Texas Longhorns also post a 14-0 overall record following their 11-9 win over the USC Upstate Spartans on Saturday night in Austin. The Longhorns won, surviving a ninth inning rally in which USC Upstate scored six runs.

In addition to USC, the other Big Ten teams that have gotten off to a strong start to the season include the UCLA Bruins and Oregon Ducks, who both have 11 wins. Oregon is one of the teams that could pose a threat to USC this season, as they are coming off a Big Ten regular-season title in 2025.

The Trojans look to tie their best start to a season on Sunday in their final game of the series against the Fighting Illini. The first pitch from Dedeaux Field is scheduled for 11 a.m. PT with the game broadcast on Big Ten Plus.