USC baseball navigated a week of highs and lows, securing two conference wins against Nebraska before stumbling in a high-scoring midweek clash against No. 19 UC Irvine. The Trojans showcased resilience and explosive offense but were hampered by inconsistent pitching and missed opportunities — issues that have defined their season thus far.

The series opener on Friday was a showcase of USC’s (14-10, 4-5 Big Ten) potential when its pitching and hitting are both on. Junior pitcher Caden Hunter delivered a gem, tossing seven innings of three-run ball while striking out seven Cornhuskers. Hunter’s ability to work out of jams — Nebraska (10-14, 2-7 Big Ten) stranded three runners against him — set the tone.

USC’s offense struck early, with junior infielder and pitcher Ethan Hedges igniting the Trojans in the first inning. Hedges tripled and scored on sophomore infielder Adrian Lopez’s RBI single. Hedges, who leads the team with a .374 batting average and .692 slugging percentage, continued his torrid pace, finishing two-for-four with two runs scored.

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The Trojans broke the game open in the third inning. After Hedges singled, Lopez and sophomore infielder and outfielder Kevin Takeuchi delivered back-to-back hits, with Takeuchi’s two-run double pushing the lead to 3-0. 

Nebraska rallied in the fourth with three runs, but Hunter clamped down, and sophomore pitcher Mason Edwards slammed the door shut with two scoreless innings to secure a save and 5-3 victory for USC.

The Trojans started off well again Saturday, leading 5-4 entering the ninth inning, but faltered late. Nebraska stole a 6-5 victory when freshman Cornhusker infielder Devin Nunez delivered a two-run single off Hedges, who had moved from third base to the mound in a high-leverage situation. 

USC’s offense was steady early. Takeuchi drove in two runs, including an RBI single in the first, and the Trojans surged ahead in the sixth with a three-run rally. Pinch-hitter junior outfielder Jack Basseer’s RBI single and freshman pitcher Maximo Martinez’s two-run single gave USC a 5-4 lead. But, the bullpen couldn’t hold onto it. 

Nebraska’s ninth-inning rally was fueled by small ball — a walk, a hit-by-pitch and Nunez’s clutch hit. 

The loss overshadowed a strong start from senior pitcher Caden Aoki, who allowed four runs over 6.1 innings.  Nebraska’s bullpen, led by junior pitcher Luke Broderick, silenced USC over the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit. The Trojans’ inability to capitalize with runners in scoring position proved costly. 

The Trojans bounced back Sunday with a 7-1 victory. Freshman pitcher Grant Govel delivered, spinning five shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four Cornhuskers. 

USC’s offense erupted in the sixth with back-to-back homers from Martinez and redshirt junior infielder Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek. Lopez added a solo shot in the seventh. The Trojans capitalized on Nebraska’s defensive miscues —  two errors, one of them leading to two unearned runs — a testament to the Trojans’ ability to pressure opponents into mistakes.

Tuesday night at Page Stadium, USC’s pitching staff unraveled early, surrendering six runs in the first three innings to the Anteaters. Freshman pitcher Andrew Johnson lasted just three innings, yielding 6six earned runs, while sophomore pitcher Dylan Osborne was tagged for 3 runs in just 0.1 innings.

The Trojans’ bats kept pace early, fueled by Lopez’s 3-run homer in the second inning and a solo shot from sophomore catcher Andrew Lamb. USC led 7-2 after two innings, but Irvine senior catcher Blake Penso delivered a three-run homer in the third to narrow the score gap. The Trojans clawed back with a sacrifice fly from Takeuchi in the seventh, but the Anteaters piled on late against USC’s bullpen, highlighted by sophomore infielder Zach Fjelstad’s two-run double in the ninth inning.

USC’s offense showed fight in the loss, but left 12 runners on base — a recurring issue. It is difficult to blame a 12-9 defeat on offensive production, but the missed opportunities loomed large. 

The Nebraska series proved the Trojans can compete, but the loss to the Anteaters illustrated the need for cleaner execution. 

This week, the Trojans will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, for a three-game series against Indiana, with games scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.