Sophomore right-handed pitcher Grant Govel put on a masterclass performance Saturday night for the Trojans. In the six innings he pitched, he tallied 11 strikeouts while letting up only one walk and one hit.
“He’s always had a good arm, and last year we saw the good arm, but sometimes you gotta learn how to pitch too,” USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. “He’s turned himself into a pitcher.”
Stankiewicz wasn’t lying when he said this. Last year, Govel had 45 strikeouts in 48.1 total innings pitched. This year, he already has 21 strikeouts through 12 innings.
Govel’s outstanding play was followed up in the remaining innings by two more great outings on the mound from junior left-handed pitcher Sax Matson and redshirt junior pitcher Adam Troy.
Matson struck out three batters and let up one hit, one run, and one walk. Two of his strikeouts were at a crucial moment in the seventh inning when the Owls had the bases loaded down four runs. Troy had three strikeouts with one allowed hit and one walk, and he closed the game out in fashion with his third strikeout.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Trojans scored four runs off six total hits on 27 at-bats.
At the bottom of the third, junior infielder Adrian Lopez hit a single and later ended up scoring on a foul out to first base to kick off scoring for the Trojans.
In the fifth, sophomore catcher Augie Lopez helped the Trojans pull away with a double that ran junior centerfielder Kevin Takeuchi in and put the Trojans up 3-0. Lopez later scored off a flyout from sophomore infielder Maddox Riske to make it 4-0.
Takeuchi had a notable performance at the plate, recording two singles.
“I don’t expect us to be at our best right now,” said coach Stankiewicz said on his team’s hitting performance “It’s an ebbs and flow game, right now we’re pitching well, which is great. We gotta stay on it, we’ll work on it, we’ll get our guys out and get some good work in.”
The top of the seventh inning seemed to be the only time the Trojans were truly tested by Rice, who scored too little, too late, when junior infielder JC Davis of the Owls ran in off a single from sophomore outfielder Mason Ashlock to make it 4-1. Matson struck out the next two batters with the bases loaded, holding the lead for the Trojans.
Pitching has been the headline for USC to start the year, and Govel was the star of this game. Matching Mason Edwards’ statline for strikeouts last game against Rice, he’s feeling pretty good about his play.
“Feeling confident without your A-plus stuff is a big thing,” said Govel. “At the start of the game, I didn’t have my best stuff, and then once we got that early lead with one run in just the third inning, I felt lights out, I felt like I dominated their team.”
USC has the No. 12 (No. 1 in the Big Ten) bullpen in the country in terms of strikeouts per nine innings. If their hitting improves and their pitching stays hot, the Trojans could be a serious force moving forward
The Trojans look to continue the streak against Rice today.