University Southern California Trojans
Sunday, March 8
Los Angeles, Calif.
11:00 a.m. PT
USC
15-0, 3-0
5
vs
3
Illinois
7-7, 0-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Illinois
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
7
0
USC
0
1
0
2
1
1
0
0
X
5
11
2
Photo by: John McGillen
No. 20 USC Baseball Matches Best Start in Program History With 5-3 Win Over Illini
March 08, 2026 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – The No. 20 USC baseball team moved to 15-0 on the year with a 5-3 victory over Illinois on Sunday afternoon at Dedeaux Field, matching the 1988 USC squad for the best start in program history.
The Trojans had to erase an early 2-0 deficit to keep their record spotless and open Big Ten play at 3-0. The Fighting Illini fell to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in conference action.
After the visitors put up two runs in the first innings, Jack Basseer got USC on the board with a solo-homer in the second and then Dean Carpentier drove in a pair of runs on a single up the middle in the fourth to put the Trojans in front. Carpentier's go-ahead single followed a walk by Basseer and double by Isaac Cadena.
USC tacked on crucial insurance runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, getting an RBI groundout from Basseer and then a run-scoring single by Maximo Martinez.
Illinois scored an unearned run in the eighth, but Adam Troy got the final five outs of the game to secure his fifth save of the season. Diego Velazquez picked up the win after 1.2 innings of relief. Velazquez got the final out in the top of the fourth, stranding the bases loaded with a flyout, and then retired the side in order in the fifth before handing the game off to Sax Matson with one out in the sixth.
For the second time in two days, Matson had a scoreless relief appearance, stranding a pair of runners in the sixth and then striking out two to retire the side in the seventh. Troy got a pair of flyouts to end the eighth and then struck out the final two batters of the game in the ninth to strand a runner.
The USC bullpen gave up 0 earned runs in 5.1 innings on Sunday, and for the series, the Trojan pen did not allow an earned run in 10.1 innings.
TOP PERFORMERS
COMING UP
USC hosts Long Beach State (Tuesday) and San Diego (Wednesday) for a pair of midweek contests and then hits the road against Northwestern next weekend. All five USC games this week will be broadcast on B1G+.
The Trojans had to erase an early 2-0 deficit to keep their record spotless and open Big Ten play at 3-0. The Fighting Illini fell to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in conference action.
After the visitors put up two runs in the first innings, Jack Basseer got USC on the board with a solo-homer in the second and then Dean Carpentier drove in a pair of runs on a single up the middle in the fourth to put the Trojans in front. Carpentier's go-ahead single followed a walk by Basseer and double by Isaac Cadena.
USC tacked on crucial insurance runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, getting an RBI groundout from Basseer and then a run-scoring single by Maximo Martinez.
Illinois scored an unearned run in the eighth, but Adam Troy got the final five outs of the game to secure his fifth save of the season. Diego Velazquez picked up the win after 1.2 innings of relief. Velazquez got the final out in the top of the fourth, stranding the bases loaded with a flyout, and then retired the side in order in the fifth before handing the game off to Sax Matson with one out in the sixth.
For the second time in two days, Matson had a scoreless relief appearance, stranding a pair of runners in the sixth and then striking out two to retire the side in the seventh. Troy got a pair of flyouts to end the eighth and then struck out the final two batters of the game in the ninth to strand a runner.
The USC bullpen gave up 0 earned runs in 5.1 innings on Sunday, and for the series, the Trojan pen did not allow an earned run in 10.1 innings.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Diego Velazquez: W, 1.2 IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 2K
- Sax Matson: 1.2 IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K
- Adam Troy: S, 1.2 IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K
- Jack Basseer: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2R, HR, BB
- Dean Carpentier: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, R
COMING UP
USC hosts Long Beach State (Tuesday) and San Diego (Wednesday) for a pair of midweek contests and then hits the road against Northwestern next weekend. All five USC games this week will be broadcast on B1G+.
Hear from Head Coach Andy Stankiewicz (@turntwo17) after his team picked up its fourth sweep of the year ✌️ #FightOn x @YETICoolers pic.twitter.com/YLIIBVTBSA
— USC Baseball (@USC_Baseball) March 8, 2026
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Velazquez, Diego (1-0)
L: REMINGTON, Kyle (2-1)
S: Troy, Adam (5)
Batting:
2B: FARINA, Michael 1
RBI: FARINA, Michael 1 ; PUTTY, AJ 1 ; CRAFTON, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GROVES, Nick 1 ; FARINA, Michael 1 ; ZEBIG, Jack 1
Batting:
2B: Takeuchi, Kevin 1 ; Cadena, Isaac 1
HR: Basseer, Jack 1
RBI: Martinez, Maximo 1 ; Basseer, Jack 2 ; Carpentier, Dean 2
SH: Riske, Maddox 1 ; Tejeda, Richard 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Martinez, Maximo 1 ; Basseer, Jack 2 ; Cadena, Isaac 1 ; Carpentier, Dean 1
HBP: Tejeda, Richard 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballRHP/UTL
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ BaseballUSC Baseball vs Illinois Highlights | Trojans win 4-0
Saturday, March 07
USC Baseball vs Illinois Highlights | Trojans win 4-0
Friday, March 06
USC Baseball Ace Mason Edwards on His Dominant Start & the Trojans’ 13-0 Record
Friday, March 06
USC Baseball vs UC Irvine Highlights | Trojans win 6-4
Tuesday, March 03
