The 1978 USC Trojans baseball team represented the University of Southern California in the 1978 NCAA Division I baseball season. The team was coached Rod Dedeaux in his 37th season.
The Trojans won the College World Series, defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils in the championship game for the Trojans eleventh and final national championship under Rod Dedeaux.
Roster 1978 USC Trojans roster Pitchers Ron Arnold Ray Benzor Bill Bordley Rod Boxberger Bill Bumstead Brian Hayes Tom Marchica Ernie Mauritson Anthony Muñoz Spiro Psaltis Jeff Schattinger Larry Simpson Stan Williams Jeff Wick Infielders Dan Burns Dave Caffey Jim Connor Dave Engle Larry Fobbs Dave Hostetler Jim McDowell Marv Okamura Frank Pennachio Gerald Price John Stevenson Doug Stokke Outfielders Keith Brown Mark Rhodes Bob Skube Chris Smith Tim Tolman John Wells Paul Ziegler
Catchers Tom Hicks Dave Hodgins Dave Van Gorder
Schedule
! style="background:#FFCC00;color:#990000;"| Regular season
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | February 14 || at || 0–3 || 0–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | February 18 || at || 10–9 || 1–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | February 18 || Cal State Fullerton || 9–6 || 2–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | February 24 || at || 23–8 || 3–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | February 25 || || 9–2 || 4–1 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | February 25 || Saint Mary's || 8–0 || 5–1 || –
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | March 4 || at Arizona State || 9–13 || 5–2 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | March 4 || at Arizona State || 7–13 || 5–3 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 7 || Pepperdine || 7–0 || 6–3 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 10 || || 10–0 || 7–3 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" | March 11 || || 2–8 || 7–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | March 11 || UC Irvine || 8–0 || 8–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 14 || || 8–1 || 9–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 16 || || 14–4 || 10–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 17 || at Cal State Los Angeles || 10–1 || 11–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 18 || Cal State Los Angeles || 3–2 || 12–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 19 || at || 13–1 || 13–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 20 || at Houston || 10–4 || 14–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 21 || at || 5–2 || 15–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 22 || at Texas A&M || 8–5 || 16–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 24 || vs. || 5–2 || 17–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 24 || at || 8–2 || 18–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 25 || at Texas || 3–2 || 19–4 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | March 25 || at Texas || 2–3 || 19–5 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 28 || || 2–1 || 20–5 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | March 31 || Arizona State || 11–0 || 21–5 || –
|- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 1 || Arizona State || 11–6 || 22–5 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 2 || Arizona State || 10–1 || 23–5 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 5 || || 12–1 || 24–5 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 8 || at || 13–14 || 24–6 || 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 8 || at California || 6–2 || 25–6 || 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 9 || at || 7–2 || 26–6 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 13 || || 7–0 || 27–6 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | April 14 || Stanford || 2–3 || 27–7 || 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 15 || Stanford || 8–3 || 28–7 || 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | April 18 || Pepperdine || 10–2 || 29–7 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 20 || || 6–5 || 30–7 || 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 21 || at UCLA || 5–4 || 31–7 || 5–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 22 || UCLA || 7–3 || 32–7 || 6–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 24 || Long Beach State || 12–1 || 33–7 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 27 || California || 11–2 || 34–7 || 7–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 28 || California || 14–3 || 35–7 || 8–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 29 || California || 11–2 || 36–7 || 9–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ddffdd" | April 30 || California || 7–2 || 37–7 || 10–2
|- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 1 || || 11–5 || 38–7 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 2 || || 15–2 || 39–7 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 5 || at Stanford || 17–7 || 40–7 || 11–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 6 || at Stanford || 4–3 || 41–7 || 12–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 7 || at Stanford || 12–6 || 42–7 || 13–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffdddd" | May 9 || || 4–6 || 42–8 || – |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 11 || at UCLA || 1–0 || 43–8 || 14–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 12 || UCLA || 7–6 || 44–8 || 15–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffdddd" | May 13 || at UCLA || 8–9 || 44–9 || 15–3
! style="background:#FFCC00;color:#990000;"| Postseason
|- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 20 || vs. || Buck Bailey Field || 3–2 || 45–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 21 || vs. Washington State || Buck Bailey Field || 5–4 || 46–9
|- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 26 || vs. Arizona || Dedeaux Field || 3–2 || 47–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 27 || vs. Cal State Fullerton || Dedeaux Field || 3–2 || 48–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | May 28 || vs. Arizona || Dedeaux Field || 2–1 || 49–9
|- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 2 || vs. Miami (FL) || Rosenblatt Stadium || 9–3 || 50–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 4 || vs. Michigan || Rosenblatt Stadium || 11–3 || 51–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 6 || vs. Arizona State || Rosenblatt Stadium || 5–2 || 52–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 7 || vs. North Carolina || Rosenblatt Stadium || 3–2 || 53–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ddffdd" | June 8 || vs. Arizona State || Rosenblatt Stadium || 10–3 || 54–9
Awards and honors Bill Bordley All-America First Team Pacific-8 Player of the Year
Rod Boxberger College World Series Most Outstanding Player All-America First Team
Dave Engle All-Pacific-8 First Team
Brian Hayes All-Pacific-8 First Team
Dave Hostetler All-America Second Team College World Series All-Tournament Team
Chris Smith All-Pacific-8 First Team
Doug Stokke College World Series All-Tournament Team All-Pacific-8 First Team
Tim Tolman All-America Second Team College World Series All-Tournament Team All-Pacific-8 First Team
Dave Van Gorder All-America First Team
John Wells College World Series All-Tournament Team
Trojans in the 1978 MLB draft The following members of the USC baseball program were drafted in the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.
Player Position Round Overall MLB TeamRod BoxbergerRHP1st11thHouston AstrosDave Van GorderC2nd43rdCincinnati RedsDave Engle3B3rd66thCalifornia AngelsDave Hostetler1B4th87thMontreal ExposDouglas StokkeSS5th115thHouston AstrosChris SmithOF11th280thTexas RangersTim TolmanOF12th297thHouston AstrosJeff SchattingerRHP12th300thCalifornia AngelsBrian HayesLHP16th411thLos Angeles DodgersBob SkubeOF18th456thSt. Louis CardinalsJohn WellsOF19th470thNew York Mets
References