North Carolina Coach Scott Forbes Doesn't Mince Words About USC Baseball

The USC Trojans lost Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Regional in heartbreaking fashion after the North Carolina Tar Heels walked it off, sending themselves to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, and sending USC home.

North Carolina's Scott Forbes on USC, Andy Stankiewicz

usc trojans baseball north carolina tar heels scott forbes college world series super regional ncaa andy stankiewicz — UNC baseball coach Scott Forbes during a press conference on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at Boshamer Stadium. | Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After the game, North Carolina coach Scott Forbes revealed high praise for USC coach Andy Stankiewicz and the Trojans program.

"I want to congratulate Southern Cal. Very well-coached. Heck of a team. One of the better teams we played all year. Really good on the mound, good all around. Great kids, played the right way which is not surprising. Their head coach is an awesome human being, not just an awesome coach. Have a lot of respect for him and their staff. And I know what it feels like to be in their shoes, and that’s though. But they’re gonna keep going. They have a great program, so congratulations to a heck of a season to them," Forbes said after the Super Regional series.

Despite the walk-off loss, the USC Trojans baseball program feels like it is trending in the right direction.

The history of USC's baseball program is unquestioned as the Trojans lead the country with 12 College World Series titles, but USC's Super Regional appearance in 2026 was the team's first since 2005. The Trojans have not reached the CWS since 2001, but Stankiewicz appears to have the program building towards a return to Omaha.

Stankiewicz is in his fourth season leading USC baseball, managing the Trojans to the NCAA Tournament for the past two years. The 2026 regional title was the first in Stankiewicz' coaching career.

USC Trojans Season in Review

USC started the year by winning 19 straight games, setting a new record for the best start in program history. The first loss of the season came in March against Northwestern as the Trojans fell 2-1. Stankiewicz and his team finished fourth in the Big Ten standings behind UCLA, Nebraska, and Oregon, and USC lost the three series played against the Bruins, Cornhuskers, and Ducks.

The season was led by elite pitching from Mason Edwards and Grant Govel, and Trojans pitcher Andrew Johnson cemented his legacy in the NCAA Tournament, pitching 7.1 and 7.2 innings in two separate elimination games for USC. As a pitching staff, the Trojans hold the fourth-lowest ERA in the country at 3.49.

The Trojans lineup is filled with talent who should be expected to contribute for Stankiewicz and company in future seasons. Junior Kevin Takeuchi led the team with 61 RBIs and had the second-best batting average at .314, behind senior Jack Basseer's batting average of .324.

USC's depth showed throughout the year as sophomore designated hitter Augie Lopez led the Trojans with 19 home runs, followed by junior Andrew Lamb with 14 home runs of his own. Meanwhile, junior infielder Adrian Lopez tied with Takeuchi for a team-high 77 hits.

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