USC Baseball Hits the Road Against Michigan, Arizona State

THIS WEEK: The USC baseball team plays its first Big Ten road series of the season this weekend, traveling to Ann Arbor to face Michigan for three games, then traveling to Arizona State for a midweek matchup with the former Pac-12 foe on Tuesday.

GAME SCHEDULE:
Friday - USC at Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Mar 14, 1:00 p.m. PT (B1G+)
Saturday - USC at Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Mar 15, 9:00 a.m. PT (B1G+)
Sunday - USC at Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Mar 16, 9:00 a.m. PT (B1G+)
Tuesday - USC at Arizona State (Phoenix, Ariz.), Mar 11, 6:30 p.m. PT (ESPN+)

BROADCAST INFO: All three weekend games in Ann Arbor against the Wolverines will be broadcast on B1G+. The midweek matchup with Arizona State will be broadcast on ESPN+. Links to the broadcasts are available on the baseball schedule page at USCTrojans.com.

FOLLOW: Fans can also follow the action through live stats on USCTrojans.com. Live, in-game updates will be available for all games from @USC_Baseball on X as well.

GET SOCIAL: Follow USC Baseball on social media to get updates on everything going on with the team this season. The Trojans can be followed at @USC_Baseball on X, at @sctrojans_baseball on Instagram and USC Trojans Baseball on Facebook.

2025 HOME GAMES: For the second season in a row, USC will play the majority of its home games at Great Park in Irvine due to construction on the new Dedeaux Field, which is scheduled to be completed prior to the 2026 season. Most midweek games will be held at LMU. All USC home games this season will be free and open to the public. For more information visit USCTrojans.com/baseballgameday.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS MICHIGAN: USC and Michigan have met five times, with USC going 3-2 in the matchups. The first matchup came in 1978, with the Trojans winning 11-3 in the second game of the College World Series. The most recent meeting came last year, when the Trojans fell 8-5 against the Wolverines in a midweek non-conference matchup at LMU.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS ARIZONA STATE: The Trojans and Sun Devils have a long history, both being former members of the Pac-12. The Sun Devils have the slight historical advantage in the all-time series, 117-112. The first meeting came in 1961 with the Trojans winning 10-2. ASU won the Pac-12 series last year, winning on Friday and Saturday, but the Trojans won the Sunday finale 11-6. Current Trojans Kevin Takeuchi and Dean Carpentier had 3 hits in the Sunday victory.

WEEKEND SERIES VS OREGON: The Trojans were swept over the weekend by No. 10 Oregon. USC fell behind early in all three games, but made the final two close affairs before eventually falling by two runs in each. USC scored the last six runs in Saturday's game to nearly erase an 8-0 deficit, but left five runners on over the final two innings. The Trojans tied the game in the sixth on Sunday, but Oregon scored two in the seventh and USC left the bases loaded in the bottom half of the inning and left one on in the ninth.

SERIES WIN AND TOP 25 VICTORY: USC played in the Southern California College Baseball Classic this past weekend, winning two of the three games. On Friday night, the Trojans came from behind, after UConn scored twice in the top of the second. After the Trojans cut the lead in half in the 3rd with a John Elliott home run, they scored 3 more runs in the 4th thanks to a Jack Basseer solo home run, and an Ethan Hedges two-RBI single. Caden Hunter went 6.0 innings, only giving up one earned run and was credited with the win. The Trojans added some insurance in the 7th after Hedges, Adrian Lopez, and Basseer all had RBI hits. Abbrie Covarrubias hit an inside-the-park home run in the 8th. Grant Govel went 3.0 innings and got the save. On Saturday the Trojans knocked off No. 14 ranked Vanderbilt, 3-1. The Trojans struck early, scoring two runs in the 3rd, thanks to a Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek RBI double, and a Dean Carpentier sacrifice fly. Covarrubias added another in the 6th with a sacrifice fly, scoring Carpentier. Caden Aoki was stellar going 7.0 innings without allowing an earned run, striking out a career high 10. Mason Edwards faced 6 hitters, striking out 3 of them, before handing the ball off to Hedges, who struck out the last hitter in the game to record his fourth save. On Sunday, the Trojans traveled to Westwood to play UCLA. The Trojans had 10 hits, 3 more than the Bruins, but timely defense from UCLA limited the Trojans on offense as USC fell, 5-1.

2025 PLAYER/TEAM NOTES:

Ethan Hedges has started the year off hot for the Trojans in the box, field, basepath, and on the mound. The Junior is hitting .387, scoring 17 runs with 22 RBI. He has 5 HR, good for 11th in the Big Ten. He also has 2 triples, most in the Big Ten, and 4 doubles, along with 8 walks and 3 HBP. His 47 total bases are 6th in the Big Ten. On Tuesday at Fullerton he had 3 hits, scoring 2 runs and driving in 2 as well. He has also stolen 5 bases. He began the year on an 11-game hitting streak, and has reached base in every game so far for USC. On the mound as the Trojans' closer, he has converted 4 of his 5 save opportunities, and his 4 saves are the most in the Big Ten, and 9th in the country. He has thrown 5.0 innings, striking out 5 and allowing just 2 hits.
Brayden Dowd has begun his sophomore season hitting .310 for the Trojans. The center fielder ranks 3rd in the Big Ten in walks (18) and 7th in doubles (6), while also hitting 3 home runs. His 13 runs scored and 11 RBI are second on the team, and his 14 hits are second as well. He also has 2 stolen bases on the year. Dowd has been a tough hitter to strike out, K'ing just 12 times in 58 at bats, while reaching base in all 16 games for the Trojans. On Sunday, Dowd hit a 2-run shot against Oregon to tie the game in the 6th.
Abbrie Covarrubias is hitting .273 with 15 hits, which is third most on the team, and has 2 doubles. His 10 runs scored are fourth on the team. He has had 5 multiple hit games, which is tied for the team lead, and he has reached base in all 4 of USC's most recent games.
Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek hit his first home run of the year three weeks ago at Fullerton, smoking a first pitch fastball over the right field fence. His 11 runs scored are third on the team, and he has had 5 multiple hit games, which is tied for the team lead.
Adrian Lopez, a sophomore transfer from LBSU, hit the first home run of the season for USC, with a grand slam in the first inning on Saturday of opening weekend. Lopez had 8 homers for the Dirtbags last year. On Tuesday at Fullerton he had 3 hits, scoring once and driving in a run as well. Two weeks ago, he went 2-4 against UConn, with 2 doubles, one of which scored a run.
Caden Hunter, a junior transfer from Sierra College, has been electric on the mound for the Trojans on Friday nights, pitching to a 3.26 ERA with a WHIP of 1.36. In 19.1 innings pitched, he has struck out 27.
Caden Aoki posted the biggest performance of the year against No. 14 Vanderbilt on March 1st, throwing 7.0 innings, giving up just 4 hits and 1 walk, and not allowing an earned run. His 10 strikeouts were a career high. In the 5th inning, the Commodores loaded the bases, but Aoki got out of it by getting the next two hitters to strike out, both whiffing on off speed pitches. Aoki was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for his efforts against Vandy. He is the first USC pitcher to earn the award this season. His 12.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2nd best in the Big Ten and 18th in the country.
In his 2nd collegiate appearance, Grant Govel tossed 5.0 scoreless relief innings to pick up the win against UC Irvine. Govel did not allow a hit, walking 1 batter and striking out 6. He followed up that performace with 2.0 scoreless innings against Rice. His 7.0 scoreless innings and 8 strikeouts against UC Irvine and Rice led to him being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Feb. 24.
Garren Rizzo has been clutch to start the season for the USC bullpen. The first time around against Cal State Fullerton, he threw 4.0 scoreless innings, giving up just 1 hit and striking out a career high 9. Against CSU Bakersfield, he came into the game with 1 out and the bases loaded and got the next two hitters to pop up and then strikeout to leave the bases loaded. He has thrown a total of 10 innings, with 13 strikeouts. His 4 wins are good for 3rd most in the country, as he has been credited with a win in 4 of his 5 appearances.
USC's 4 homers on Saturday of opening weekend were more than any game last season.
The Trojans' opening weekend sweep was the second in three years under Head Coach Andy Stankiewicz.
As a team, USC is slashing .269/.374/.426 through 16 games.
Stat rankings - 4.15 ERA: 64th NCAA | 1.33 WHIP: 56th NCAA | 11.1 K's/9: 15th NCAA | 4 triples: 3rd B1G | 16 HR: 13th B1G

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Players Mentioned

Caden Aoki

Jack Basseer

Dean Carpentier

Abbrie Covarrubias

Brayden Dowd

Mason Edwards

John Elliott

Grant Govel

Ethan Hedges

Caden Hunter

Adrian Lopez

Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek

Garren Rizzo

Kevin Takeuchi