No. 13 USC Baseball Hosts Washington

Friday, March 20

Los Angeles, Calif.

7:00 p.m. PT

USC

Washington

Mason Edwards pitching at Dedeaux Field.

Photo by: William Fosnot

No. 13 USC Baseball Hosts Washington

March 19, 2026 | Baseball

Game Notes (PDF)

THIS WEEK: The No. 13 USC baseball team resumes Big Ten play this weekend, hosting Washington for a three-game series at Dedeaux Field.

GAME SCHEDULE:
Friday - USC vs. Washington (Dedeaux Field), March 20, 7:00 p.m. PT (B1G+)
Saturday - USC vs. Washington (Dedeaux Field), March 21, 7:00 p.m. PT (B1G+)
Sunday - USC vs. Washington (Dedeaux Field), March 22, 1:00 p.m. PT (B1G+)

PROBABLE PITCHERS:
Friday - USC: LHP Mason Edwards (4-0, 0.30 ERA) vs. WASH: RHP Noah Kenney (1-2, 5.04 ERA)
Saturday - USC: RHP Grant Govel (5-0, 0.27 ERA) vs. WASH: RHP Jackson Thomas (1-1, 5.14 ERA)
Sunday - USC: RHP Andrew Johnson (2-0, 1.63 ERA) vs. WASH: RHP Hayden Lewis (2-2, 6.46 ERA)

BROADCAST INFO: All games will be broadcast on B1G+. 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.

2026 HOME GAMES: After two seasons playing the majority of its home games at Great Park in Irvine, USC returns home to the new Dedeaux Field. The project, which features a brand new stadium, clubhouse, training facility and offices for the program, is still ongoing and will be completed after the conclusion of the 2026 season. Despite certain elements of the stadium still being under construction, USC will welcome fans into Dedeaux Field this season, with all home games being free and open to the public. Temporary concessions and restrooms will be available all season long. Seating will be first come first serve. For more information visit USCTrojans.com/baseballgameday.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS WASH: The Trojans are 48-49 all-time against the Huskies. The teams split their four games last year, with Washington winning 2-of-3 in Seattle and the Trojans beating the Huskies at the Big Ten Tournament. Adrian Lopez hit a walk-off RBI double to beat Washington, 6-5, at the conference tournament.

WALK-OFF VS CSUB: Jack Basseer hit a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth against CSU Bakersfield on Wednesday night to give the Trojans a 4-3 victory. After USC fell behind 3-0 early, Ben Cushnie tossed 3.0 scoreless relief innings and Henry Chabot got the win after 2.0 scoreless frames.

TUESDAY WIN VS SDSU: The Trojans scored three runs in the eighth inning to take down San Diego State, 7-4, on Tuesday night. Kevin Takeuchi hit a three-run homer early in the game and scored twice, walking to lead off the eighth inning and eventually scoring the go-ahead run. Diego Velazquez got the win after 1.2 relief innings.

SERIES WIN AT NORTHWESTERN: The Trojans went 2-1 on the road at Northwestern this past weekend, winning the opener on Friday, 15-1, in seven innings and then splitting a doubleheader on Saturday. The Trojans tossed a two-hit shutout in the early game of the doubleheader and then fell 2-1 in the late game under snowy conditions in Evanston.

WALK-OFF VS USD: The Trojans closed out this midweek matchup with its perfect record intact after a 7-6 walk-off victory in the 10th inning. San Diego scored in the fourth inning to take a 2–1 lead, but Andrew Lamb responded with a three-run homer in the bottom put USC back in front. San Diego briefly regained a 6–5 lead with three runs in the seventh, but Will Stickney tied the game with a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the inning. A sacrifice fly from Adrian Lopez helped push the Trojans to 17–0 on the season.

HISTORY MADE VS LBSU: The Trojans surpassed the 1988 Trojan squad for the longest season-opening winning streak in program history. Andrew Lamb got the scoring started for the Trojans with a three-run homer in the second inning, and Máximo Martínez added an RBI single in the third to give USC a 4–0 lead. The Trojans added two insurance runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Lamb and an RBI double by Maddox Riske to make it 6–1.

HOT START: The Trojans' 19-0 start to the season marked the best in program history and tied the USC record for the longest winning streak in program history, set in 1955. The Trojans were the final unbeaten team in the country before suffering their first loss of the season in the second game of a doubleheader at Northwestern. USC was also the first team to 20 wins in the country and leads the nation with 21 victories.

IN THE RANKINGS: The Trojans moved up to No. 10 in the latest Perfect Game poll, No. 11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 13 in both the D1Baseball and Baseball America's rankings, and No. 17 in the NCBWA poll. USC is outscoring opponents 133-38 through the first five weeks of the season.

PITCHING DOMINANCE: The Trojan pitching staff has been dominant through five weeks of play, posting the No. 1 ERA (1.73) in the country, No. 1 Hits/9 (4.94), No. 1 WHIP (0.94), No. 1 shutouts (5), No. 19 K/BB ratio (3.19) and No. 24 K/9 (10/9).

WEEKLY AWARDS: Grant Govel picked up his second Big Ten Pitcher of the Week award this week after tossing 7.0 shutout innings at Northwestern. Govel allowed two hits and no walks, while striking out six batters. USC now has earned four of the five B1G Pitcher of the Week awards this season, with Govel earning the honor on Feb. 16 and March 16, and Mason Edwards on March 2 and 9.

2026 PLAYER NOTES:
HITTERS

Abbrie Covarrubias has been the catalyst to the Trojan offense this season in the leadoff spot, leading the team with 21 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Covarrubias is slashing .276/.373/.391, has 10 RBI and is tied for 2nd on the team with 12 walks.
Adrian Lopez has served as a consistent run producer in the middle of the USC order, currently sitting 2nd on the team in both RBI (16) and runs scored (19). Lopez is slashing .282/.368/.474, with 9 extra-base hits, including 5 doubles, 2 triples and 2 homers.
Andrew Lamb has emerged as one of the best power bats in the USC lineup, currently sitting 2nd on the team with 4 home runs. Lamb homered in three straight games from 3/10-13 and has hits in 5 of his last 7 games. His .568 slugging percentage is 3rd on the team.
Jack Basseer is the Trojans' home run leader with 5 long balls and his .321 batting average is second on the squad. He has driven in 14 runs and scored 18, leading USC with a .696 slugging percentage. Basseer had a walk-off, two-run shot against CSU Bakersfield on 3/18.
Kevin Takeuchi has been the Trojans' offensive leader all season, leading the club in average (.346), RBI (19), hits (28) and OBP (.433). Takeuchi also has 7 stolen bases on 7 attempts, has scored 19 runs and has a team-high 8 doubles and 3 triples.
Maximo Martinez: since breaking into the lineup the third week of the season, Martinez is 3rd on the team with a .316 average. He had a career game against Cal Poly in the Saturday game, going 4-for-5 with five RBIs, three runs, three doubles, and a grand slam.
Maddox Riske had himself a day in the third game of the Cal Poly series, going 5-for-6 with 2 RBI and 2 runs, becoming the first Trojan to record five hits in a game since 2022.
Richard Tejeda has been a regular behind the dish for USC this season and is fourth on the team with a .303 batting average.

PITCHERS

Andrew Johnson has emerged as one of the nations most effective pitchers as USC's Sunday starter this season, posting a 1.63 ERA and 2-0 record in five starts and 27.2 total innings. The sophomore righty is 5th in the Big Ten and 41st in the nation in ERA, 7th in the Big Ten in WHIP (0.94), 8th in the conference in hits/9 (5.53) and 9th in the league in strikeouts (32).
Adam Troy leads the nation with 7 saves this season and is 4th in the NCAA with 12 appearances on the mound. Troy owns a 1.93 ERA in 14.0 innings pitched, striking out 19.
Diego Velazquez came to USC as both an infielder and pitcher, but has seen the most time on the mound, making 4 appearances and posting a 0.00 ERA. The freshman has given up just 1 hit and 2 walks in 5.1 innings.
Gavin Lauridsen has been a key arm in high-leverage relief situations this year, posting a 1.72 ERA in 9 appearances and 15.2 innings pitched.
Grant Govel has been like a second ace as USC's Saturday starter, leading the Big Ten and sitting 2nd in the NCAA with a 0.27 ERA. Govel has given up just one earned run in 33.0 innings pitched, striking out 35 batters while walking just 3. His 0.48 WHIP leads the nation, and his 3.55 hits/9 are 5th in the country. Govel was named both National and Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after 6.0 hitless innings against Pepperdine on opening weekend and Big Ten POTW after 7.0 scoreless frames against Northwestern.
Mason Edwards has established himself as one of the top arms in the country this season, posting a 0.30 ERA through 5 starts and 30.0 innings pitched. His ERA is 3rd in the nation and 2nd in the Big Ten, 1.80 hits/9 are 1st in the NCAA, 52 strikeouts are 2nd in the country and 1st in the conference, and his 0.57 WHIP is 4th in the country and 2nd in the Big Ten. The junior lefty went 29.2 innings without giving up a run to start the season and has allowed just 6 hits for a .061 opponent batting average. Edwards was named both the Perfect Game National and Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after leading the Trojans to an opening-game win in a series sweep of Illinois after tossing 6.0 scoreless innings in the 4–0 victory, allowing just two hits while matching his career high with 11 strikeouts for the third straight outing. He also earned the Big Ten honor the previous week after throwing 7.0 hitless, scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in an extra-inning road win over Cal Poly.
Sax Matson has established himself as a key relief pitcher for the Trojans. This season, he leads the team and is 4th in the NCAA with 12 appearances on the mound, posting a 3.52 ERA and an impressive 3.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio.