Orange County college baseball fans will have another option to attend games this season.
The University of Southern California announced Jan. 22 that the Trojans will play 21 of their 27 home games at Great Park in Irvine, as well as another three at the University of California–Irvine.
Construction to renovate the team’s longtime home, Dedeaux Field on the USC campus in Los Angeles, necessitated the unusual arrangement. The Trojans will play their three other home games, all midweek contests, at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
“We have found a temporary home at Orange County Great Park in Irvine that we can truly make our own,” USC coach Andy Stankiewicz said in a news release announcing the move. “While we will certainly miss playing on the University Park campus, we look forward to spending time with the large contingent of Trojan fans in Orange County and will do everything we can to support our student-athletes during this transition process.”
Admission for all home games this season, including the first three at Great Park, a Feb. 23-25 non-conference series against the University of Portland, will be free.
Planned upgrades to Dedeaux Field include increasing seating capacity to approximately 2,500 and adding outdoor social spaces, an indoor hospitality area, multiple concession locations, expanded restrooms, and a new video and sound system. A new press box, coaching and support-staff offices, and a team meeting space are also among the enhancements.
“The university and our athletic department have once again shown their commitment to USC baseball through this incredible investment in Dedeaux Field,” Mr. Stankiewicz said. “This stadium will provide our student-athletes with the world-class facilities they deserve.”
A university spokesman declined to say when the project is expected to be completed or when the team will again be able to play games on campus.
For now, the Trojans will face a round-trip commute of at least 90 miles, through Southern California’s notorious traffic, to all but three of their home games.
It is not unprecedented for USC athletic teams to play home games in Orange County. The Trojans’ lacrosse team has hosted games at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, and soccer exhibitions involving USC have been held at Great Park, the university spokesman said. The Trojans’ club ice hockey team has also played regularly at Anaheim Ice.
USC’s baseball games at Great Park, where seating capacity is approximately 1,000, will be highlighted by Pacific 12 Conference series against Arizona on March 8-10, Washington on April 5-7, California on May 3-5, and Utah on May 16-18.
A three-game Pac-12 series against Oregon State is set for March 28-30 at UC–Irvine’s Anteater Ballpark.
The Trojans will play non-conference games at Great Park on March 12 against California Baptist, March 26 against Fresno State, April 16 against the University of San Diego, April 19 and 21 against Sacramento State, and April 20 against Santa Clara.
The three non-conference games at Loyola Marymount’s Page Stadium are Feb. 20 against UC–San Diego, Feb. 27 against Michigan, and April 9 against UC–Irvine.
USC has won an NCAA-record 12 College World Series championships, but none since 1998.
In their first year under Mr. Stankiewicz after his arrival from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona prior to last season, the Trojans finished 34–23–1 and narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. USC also improved from a last-place, Pac-12 finish in 2022 to a 17–13, fourth-place mark. The overall and conference win totals marked the most for the Trojans since 2015.
USC will open this season Feb. 16-18 with games against Brigham Young, Grand Canyon, and Ohio State at the MLB Desert Invitational in Mesa and Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Trojans will also play two games against Texas Christian and another against Texas A&M in the March 1-3 Kubota College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, home of the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers.
Among USC’s midweek road games are dates Feb. 21 at Loyola Marymount, March 5 and April 23 at Cal State Fullerton, March 19 and May 7 at Long Beach State, April 2 at San Diego, and April 17 at UC–Irvine.
