University Southern California Trojans
Saturday, March 14
Evanston, Ill.
9:00 a.m. PT
USC
2
at
0
Northwestern
Photo by: Chris Mora
No. 12 USC Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Northwestern
March 14, 2026 | Baseball
EVANSTON, Ill. – The No. 12 USC baseball team split a doubleheader at Northwestern on Saturday, winning the opener 2-0 before falling in the finale 2-1. The afternoon loss was USC's first of the season as the Trojans tied a program record with their 19th straight win in the early game.
USC moves to 19-1 overall and 5-1 in Big Ten play. Northwestern moves to 7-9-1, 1-2. The only other 19-game winning streak in USC history was in 1955. The Trojans' 19 straight wins to start this season were a program record, surpassing the previous mark of 15-0 set in 1988. USC was also the last unbeaten team in the NCAA this season, after Texas lost to Ole Miss on Friday night.
Game One:
The Trojans tossed a two-hit shutout to open the doubleheader with a victory, getting 7.0 scoreless innings from Grant Govel on the mound to lead the way. Govel struck out six and walked none as he stranded the only two baserunners he allowed on the day.
Sax Matson worked a scoreless eighth and then got the first out of the ninth before handing the game off to Adam Troy. Troy struck out one and got a groundout to end the game and pick up his sixth save of the year. Matson struck out two of the five batters he faced as he now has 25 strikeouts in 14.1 relief innings.
Kevin Takeuchi broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning, singling home Isaac Cadena with two outs. Andrew Lamb tacked on the second run of the game, laying down a sac bunt to plate Adrian Lopez in the eighth.
Govel's performance in the opener was his fourth scoreless outing in five starts this year. He now owns a 0.27 ERA after having given up just one run in 33.0 innings pitched.
Game Two:
The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a bloop single that fell into left field and that was the only run of the game until USC tied it in the eighth.
Andrew Lamb tripled to lead off the eighth inning and then Adrian Lopez hit a sacrifice fly to bring him home as snow flurries picked up late in the game. The Wildcats would load the bases and single in a run to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth.
Andrew Johnson had another brilliant outing on the mound for the Trojans in the late game tossing 7.1 innings, giving up just two hits and the one run. Johnson struck out a career-high nine batters in the game, while walking just one.
Johnson now has a 1.63 ERA in five starts and 27.2 innings pitched, posting a 0.94 WHIP and 32 strikeouts to open his sophomore season.
TOP PERFORMERS
COMING UP
USC returns to Southern California for a pair of midweeks, hosting San Diego State on Tuesday and then CSU Bakersfield on Wednesday. Big Ten play resumes next Friday as Washington comes to Dedeaux Field for a three-game set. All USC home games will be broadcast on B1G+.
USC moves to 19-1 overall and 5-1 in Big Ten play. Northwestern moves to 7-9-1, 1-2. The only other 19-game winning streak in USC history was in 1955. The Trojans' 19 straight wins to start this season were a program record, surpassing the previous mark of 15-0 set in 1988. USC was also the last unbeaten team in the NCAA this season, after Texas lost to Ole Miss on Friday night.
Game One:
The Trojans tossed a two-hit shutout to open the doubleheader with a victory, getting 7.0 scoreless innings from Grant Govel on the mound to lead the way. Govel struck out six and walked none as he stranded the only two baserunners he allowed on the day.
Sax Matson worked a scoreless eighth and then got the first out of the ninth before handing the game off to Adam Troy. Troy struck out one and got a groundout to end the game and pick up his sixth save of the year. Matson struck out two of the five batters he faced as he now has 25 strikeouts in 14.1 relief innings.
Kevin Takeuchi broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning, singling home Isaac Cadena with two outs. Andrew Lamb tacked on the second run of the game, laying down a sac bunt to plate Adrian Lopez in the eighth.
Govel's performance in the opener was his fourth scoreless outing in five starts this year. He now owns a 0.27 ERA after having given up just one run in 33.0 innings pitched.
Game Two:
The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a bloop single that fell into left field and that was the only run of the game until USC tied it in the eighth.
Andrew Lamb tripled to lead off the eighth inning and then Adrian Lopez hit a sacrifice fly to bring him home as snow flurries picked up late in the game. The Wildcats would load the bases and single in a run to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth.
Andrew Johnson had another brilliant outing on the mound for the Trojans in the late game tossing 7.1 innings, giving up just two hits and the one run. Johnson struck out a career-high nine batters in the game, while walking just one.
Johnson now has a 1.63 ERA in five starts and 27.2 innings pitched, posting a 0.94 WHIP and 32 strikeouts to open his sophomore season.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Grant Govel: 7.0 IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 6K
- Andrew Johnson: 7.1 IP, 2H, R, BB, 9K
COMING UP
USC returns to Southern California for a pair of midweeks, hosting San Diego State on Tuesday and then CSU Bakersfield on Wednesday. Big Ten play resumes next Friday as Washington comes to Dedeaux Field for a three-game set. All USC home games will be broadcast on B1G+.
Players Mentioned
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