The USC Trojans enter a 6,100-seat venue facing a baseball team they've never seen before. They also face the dilemma of either starting their ace pitcher Mason Edwards or letting him rest. But USC rolled out an early plan ahead of Game 1 against the Texas State Bobcats. Choosing this option before facing one of the nation's more louder baseball parks in Blue Bell Field, the home of regional host Texas A&M. This article will be updated with live score updates.PREVIEWStarting Pitcher for USC Trojans OfficialMay 31, 2025; Corvallis, OR, USA; USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz takes questions after a game against Saint Mary's at the NCAA Corvallis Regional at Goss Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn ImagesHead coach Andy Stankiewicz chose to place Grant Govel on the mound, allowing the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Edwards to be saved for later. Govel brings 86 strikeouts from the season in tow against the Sun Belt Conference representative. He allowed an ERA of 2.84 this season while owning a 10-2 record. Unlike Edwards, Govel throws heat out of his right arm. Govel, though, is aiming to shed consecutive losses on the mound. Oregon handed him the defeat on May 15 by hitting four times and scoring four runs against him. UCLA also handed him fits, scoring six runs while pounding the baseball another four times in the conference semifinal loss for the Trojans. Stankiewicz still holds lots of confidence in the starting pitcher as he addressed reporters before the Texas State contest. "We feel like he matches up really well against [the Bobcats]. Texas State can hit, man. We see that," Stankiewicz said. "We looked at the video. They're physical. They're strong. They're like A&M, and then Lamar is probably more like us." Stankiewicz blurted out two more names who could see time on the hill against TSU: Diego Velazquez and Drew Johnson. Grant Govel Battling Injury Ahead of Texas StateUSC celebrates a home run by Isaac Cadena (20) as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesGovel is dealing with one notable ailment ahead of the first pitch. He absorbed a line drive to the back of his rib cage against UCLA. That ground ball pound topped a speed of 112 miles per hour. However, USC insists its Game 1 starter is ready to go. Top Hitters USC Trojans are Facing Isaac Cadena makes a catch to clinch the Trojans' win in extra innings as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard Texas State enters with a much different record at 36-24 compared to USC's astonishing 43-15 mark. But the Bobcats head to College Station, presenting six power hitters who have surpassed the .300 mark. Ethan Farris leads with .337 including ripping eight home runs. Rashawn Galloway will be another USC will take seriously, through his .324 average and 12 homers. Clayton Namken follows at .317 with 11 home runs. Manny Salas (.315 average) is second on the Bobcats with 15 home run blasts. Justin Vossos and Dawson Park hit at .304 and .301, respectively. But look for the USC outfield to play closer to the wall when Jaquae Stewart heads to the plate, given his Texas State-best 16 home runs. USC Projected Starting Lineup USC outfielder Jack Basseer hits a single as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesHere's the projected starters when USC takes the field:Pitcher: Grant GovelCatcher: Isaac Cadena First Base: Adrian Lopez Second Base: Abbrie Covarrubias Third Base: Maximo Martinez Right Field: Jack Basseer Center Field: Kevin Takeuchi Left Field: Andrew Lamb Now here's the projected batting order when USC is at the plate: 1. Abbrie Covarrubias 2. Adrian Lopez 3. Kevin Takeuchi 4. Isaac Cadena 5. Jack Basseer 6. Andrew Lamb7. Dean Carpentier 8. Walter Urbon 9. Maximo Martinez 10. Maddox Riske Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow