# 1961 USC Trojans baseball team

The 1961 USC Trojans baseball team represented the University of Southern California in the 1961 NCAA University Division baseball season. The team was coached Rod Dedeaux in his 20th season.
The Trojans won the College World Series, defeating the Oklahoma State in the championship game. This was the Trojans' third championship.

## Schedule

Legend :
* USC win
* USC loss
1961 USC Trojans baseball game log :
Regular season :
March :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | AAWU record |
| March 10 | Cal Poly | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 8–1 | 1–0 | – |
| March 11 | San Diego | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 9–1 | 2–0 | – |
| March 14 | Occidental | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 7–3 | 3–0 | – |
| March 17 | Long Beach State | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 11–1 | 4–0 | – |
| March 18 | at Long Beach State | Blair Field • Long Beach, CA | W 1–0 | 5–0 | – |
| March 21 | at Loyola Marymount | Los Angeles, CA | W 14–2 | 6–0 | – |
| March 23 | BYU | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 3–0 | 7–0 | – |
| March 23 | at Cal State Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | W 4–1 | 8–0 | – |
| March 24 | at UC Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | L 1–3 | 8–1 | – |
| March 25 | at UCLA | Joe E. Brown Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 7–2 | 9–1 | 1–0 |
| March 27 | vs. Stanford | | W 8–1 | 10–1 | – |
| March 29 | vs. San Diego State | | W 15–2 | 11–1 | – |
| March 30 | vs. Arizona State | | W 10–2 | 12–1 | – |
April :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | AAWU record |
| April 3 | Notre Dame | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 4–3 | 13–1 | – |
| April 4 | Arizona | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | L 0–8 | 13–2 | – |
| April 7 | California | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 4–3 | 14–2 | 2–0 |
| April 8 | California | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | L 1–2 | 14–3 | 2–1 |
| April 11 | Loyola Marymount | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 8–5 | 15–3 | – |
| April 14 | at Stanford | Sunken Diamond • Stanford, CA | W 3–2 | 16–3 | 3–1 |
| April 15 | at Santa Clara | Santa Clara, CA | L 3–4 | 16–4 | 3–2 |
| April 15 | at Santa Clara | Santa Clara, CA | W 15–5 | 17–4 | 4–2 |
| April 18 | at Pepperdine | Malibu, CA | L 3–4 | 18–4 | – |
| April 21 | Santa Clara | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 9–4 | 19–4 | 5–2 |
| April 22 | Santa Clara | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 8–6 | 20–4 | 6–2 |
| April 28 | Stanford | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 7–2 | 21–4 | 7–2 |
| April 29 | Stanford | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 11–2 | 22–4 | 8–2 |
May :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | AAWU record |
| May 2 | at UCLA | Joe E. Brown Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 3–1 | 23–4 | 9–2 |
| May 5 | UCLA | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 11–8 | 24–4 | 10–2 |
| May 6 | at UCLA | Joe E. Brown Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 6–4 | 25–4 | 11–2 |
| May 9 | Cal Poly Pomona | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 3–2 | 26–4 | – |
| May 12 | at Stanford | Sunken Diamond • Stanford, CA | L 5–7 | 26–5 | 11–3 |
| May 13 | at California | Evans Diamond • Berkeley, CA | W 5–4 | 27–5 | 12–3 |
| May 13 | at California | Evans Diamond • Berkeley, CA | L 6–10 | 27–6 | 12–4 |
Post-season :
NCAA District 8 playoff :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | NCAAT record |
| May 26 | Fresno State | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 4–1 | 28–6 | 1–0 |
| May 27 | Fresno State | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | L 4–6 | 28–7 | 1–1 |
| May 27 | Fresno State | Bovard Field • Los Angeles, CA | W 10–6 | 29–7 | 2–1 |
| June 2 | at Washington State | Bailey Field • Pullman, WA | W 13–6 | 30–7 | 3–1 |
| June 3 | at Washington State | Bailey Field • Pullman, WA | W 10–4 | 31–7 | 4–1 |
College World Series :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | CWS record |
| June 10 | vs. Texas | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE | W 8–6 | 32–7 | 1–0 |
| June 11 | vs. Boston College | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE | W 10–3 | 33–7 | 2–0 |
| June 12 | vs. Oklahoma State | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE | W 4–2 | 34–7 | 3–0 |
| June 13 | vs. Boston College | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE | W 4–3 | 35–7 | 4–0 |
| June 15 | vs. Oklahoma State | Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium • Omaha, NE | W 1–0 | 36–7 | 5–0 |

## Awards and honors
### Steve Bach

* All-AAWU First Team

### Art Ersepke

* College World Series All-Tournament Team
* All-AAWU First Team

### Larry Hankhammer

* College World Series All-Tournament Team

### Larry Himes

* College World Series All-Tournament Team
* All-America Second Team
* All-AAWU First Team

### William Ryan

* All-America First Team
* College World Series All-Tournament Team
* All-AAWU First Team

### Jim Withers

* All-AAWU First Team