USC Baseball Looks To Stay Cool In The Desert

March 30, 2000

Upcoming Games Schedule
Friday, March 31at Arizona* - Sancet Field - 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 1 at Arizona* - Sancet Field - 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 2 at Arizona* - Sancet Field - 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5 vs. Cal State Fullerton - Dedeaux Field - 6 p.m.
* - Pac-10 conference game

LOS ANGELES - The No. 16 USC baseball team - winner of 12 NCAA championships, more than twice as many as any other school - is 20-9 in the 2000 season. The Trojans have won five straight games and six of their last seven. The team is coming off an 11-4 non-conference win at San Diego State on Tuesday (March 28) and a three-game series sweep to begin Pac-10 at home against Washington State, 7-6, 12-7 and 10-1.

RANKINGS - USC is No. 16 in the latest Baseball America and USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches' poll, and No. 20 in the Collegiate Baseball poll. Arizona is not ranked in any polls. Cal State Fullerton is No. 6 in Baseball America, No. 11 in Collegiate Baseball and No. 14 in USA Today Baseball Weekly.

TEAM OF THE 20TH CENTURY - No other university can match the collegiate baseball tradition of USC, and it showed when Baseball America awarded the Trojans the title of "Greatest Program of the 20th Century" in its Feb. 1, 1999 issue. Troy has an unprecedented 12 NCAA championships (no other school has more than five), 36 conference titles and 19 College World Series appearances (second most in the nation). Legendary former coach Rod Dedeaux was named "Coach of the Century" by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America. Trojan players have been named All-American first teamers 41 times, and 80 players have gone on to play in the majors, including such stars as Tom Seaver, Fred Lynn, Ron Fairly, Randy Johnson, Mark McGwire, Jeff Cirillo and Bret Boone.

COACH'S CORNER - Mike Gillespie, in his 14th season as the Trojans' head coach, has a 539-302-2 (.641) career record and has led USC to the 1998 national championship, three conference titles (1991-95-96), 11 trips to the NCAA Regionals in 13 years (reaching the regional finals nine times), and trips to the 1995 and 1998 College World Series (Troy finished as the nation's runner-up in 1995). He was named the 1998 National Coach of the Year, the Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times (1991-95-96) and the West Region Coach of the Year twice (1996-98). The starting leftfielder on USC's 1961 NCAA-winning team, he is one of just two men who have both coached and played on championship teams.

USA BASEBALL - USC coach Mike Gillespie will serve as Head Coach of the 2000 USA Baseball National Team of collegiate all-stars that will play on the US WEST Red, White and Blue Summer Tour. USC assistant coach John Savage will serve as the pitching coach for Team USA.

USC PROBABLE STARTERS

C	#9	Beau Craig	.314, 13 HR, 38 RBI
1B	#50	Bill Peavey	.254, 3 HR, 17 RBI or
	#13	Alberto Concepcion	.233, 2 HR, 8 RBI
2B	#24	Anthony Lunetta	.402, 4 HR, 23 RBI
3B	#26	Justin Gemoll	.359, 6 HR, 28 RBI
SS	#2	Seth Davidson	.225, 1 HR, 7 RBI
LF	#6	Brian Barre	.308, 2 HR, 7 RBI
CF	#10	Josh Self	.315, 3 HR, 12 RBI
RF	#15	Rob Garibaldi	.352, 2 HR, 16 RBI
DH	#22	Josh Persell	.312, 2 HR, 15 RBI

P (3/31)	#21	Mark Prior	5-2 record, 2.42 ERA
P (4/1)	#8	Ric Currier	6-2 record, 3.93 ERA
P (42)	#23	Anthony Reyes	3-3 record, 4.38 ERA

Opponent Outlook

Arizona (Pac-10 series)
Friday, March 31 - Sancet Field - 7 p.m
Saturday, April 1 - Sancet Field - 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 2 - Sancet Field - 1 p.m.
*all games will be broadcast live on www.usctrojans.com

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS - Arizona is 17-18 overall this season and 2-4 in Pac-10 conference play. The Wildcats possess one of the top pitchers in the nation in right-hander Ben Diggins, who has a 7-0 record and a 2.63 ERA. He has thrown three complete games and has 73 strikeouts in 68 and 1/3 innings of work. At the plate, Diggins is also generating some big numbers with a .364 batting average with 6 HR and 24 RBI. Third baseman Ernie Durazo leads the team with a .416 batting average, including a 17-game hitting streak earlier this season. Durazo has 5 HR and 30 RBI for the season. The Wildcats are batting .339 as a team.

THE SERIES - USC holds a 96-80-1 all-time series advantage against Arizona in a series that dates back to 1921. USC has won 16 straight at Arizona, the last Wildcats victory at home against the Trojans came on March 27, 1993 (7-4).

PROBABLE STARTERS

	USC	Arizona
Friday	Mark Prior (RHP)	Ben Diggins (RHP)
	5-2, 2.42	7-0, 2.63
Saturday	Rik Currier (RHP)	TBA
	6-2, 3.93
Sunday	Anthony Reyes (RHP)	TBA
	3-3, 4.38

PAC-10 POWERHOUSE - USC, certainly among the strongest teams annually in the Pac-10, has many highlights over the last few years to prove it:

With its College World Series title in 1998, USC is the only Pacific-10 Conference team to have won a national championship in the last 11 years.

With 224 victories over the last five seasons (1995-99), USC ranked first among Pac-10 teams.

USC is the only Pac-10 school to have finished in the Top 10 national rankings in eight of the last 10 years.

USC has made it to an NCAA Regional final seven straight years (best among Pac-10 teams) and has earned NCAA Tournament bids nine of the last 10 years (tied with Stanford for best in the Pac-10).

USC has reached the College World Series championship game twice in the last five years (only one other Pac-10 team has made it once in the last 11 years).

COACHING SUPERLATIVES- Legendary USC coach Rod Dedeaux was named College Coach of the Century for baseball in the February issue of Coach & Athletic Director Magazine. Dedeaux led the Trojan baseball team to an unprecedented 11 College World Series titles (including five in a row in the 1970s) and amassed a 1,332-571-11 record during his 45-year (1942-86) tenure at Troy.

PAC-10 PRESEASON POLL - In a preseason poll of the Pac-10 coaches, USC was picked to finish third. In order, the poll went as follows: Stanford (six first-place votes), UCLA (two first-place votes), USC, Arizona (one first-place vote), California, Arizona State, Washington, Washington State and Oregon State.

DOUBLE DOUBLE - The Trojans have an opportunity to set a school record for doubles. USC has hit 74 doubles in the 2000 season in 29 games, the school record is 157 set during the 1997 season in 62 games. Freshman second baseman Anthony Lunetta has a team-leading 16 doubles and needs 13 to tie the school record of 29 doubles set by Brett Jenkins in 1991.

PRIOR NOTICE - Sophomore Pitcher Mark Prior (Bonita/USDHS/Vanderbilt) is showing early in the 2000 season why he earned All-America honors in his freshman season last year at Vanderbilt. Prior has a 5-2 record with a 2.42 ERA. In 67 innings of work, Prior has allowed 53 hits, struck out 69 batters and walked 19 as opponents have hit .219 against him. He recorded his first collegiate save on Feb. 15 at Cal State Fullerton after pitching 1 1/3 innings with one hit and two strikeouts in the Trojans' 7-6 win against the Titans. He was named to the Baseball America 2000 preseason All-American second team.

LUNAR ECLIPSE - Freshman second baseman Anthony Lunetta (Riverside/Arlington HS) has made an impact at the plate. He leads the team with a .402 batting average (45-for-112). He leads the team with a .477 on-base percentage, as well as leading the team with 16 doubles (the school record is 29 by Brett Jenkins in the 1991 season). On March 18 at Stanford, Lunetta hit three doubles in a 3-for-6 performance with four RBI in the Trojans' 11-7 win. He also belted two home runs in the Trojans 6-5 win over UC Santa Barbara on March 7 and went 4-for-5 in game two of a doubleheader on March 14 at the University of San Diego. He went 5-for-5 in his collegiate debut on Jan. 29 at Pepperdine.

BEAU KNOWS - Sophomore catcher Beau Craig (Santee/Grossmont HS), a 1998 third-round selection by the San Diego Padres, has produced at the plate for the Trojans. He has a .314 batting average (33-for-105) and leads the team in home runs (13) and RBI (38). On March 21 vs. Loyola Marymount, Craig had a notable day at the plate. The Trojans completed at Dedeaux Field a Feb. 8 game that was suspended at LMU in the eighth inning, due to darkness. On Feb. 8, he hit a two-run home run and in the March 21 completion of the game, he hit a game-winning home run in the top of the 10th for the 9-8 win thereby hitting a home run in two different stadiums in one game. He followed that with two solo home runs in the regularly scheduled March 21 game in the Trojans' 7-3 win. He leads the team with a .736 slugging percentage.

YOU DROPPED A BEAU ON ME - Catcher Beau Craig has been on a home run tear as of late. He has hit five home runs in his last six games, not including a home run he hit on March 21 in the completion of a game from Feb. 8 at Loyola Marymount that was suspended due to darkness. On Tuesday (March 28), Craig was named Pac-10 Player of the Week for going 10-for-16 (.625) in four games with a double, triple, three home runs and 11 RBI. It is the first Player of the Week honor in Craig's career and the 45th time that a USC player has been recognized.

DR. NO-NO - Junior Rik Currier (Dana Point/Capistrano Valley HS) found out on Sunday morning (March 5) that he had pitched the sixth no-hitter in school history after USC's March 4 game against Mississippi State, which was suspended after the fifth inning due to rain, was declared official. Currier allowed one earned run with six strikeouts and five walks:

USC No-Hitters

Joe Gonzales (9) vs. Stanford, 3/26/37	USC 8-0
Jerry Merz (9) vs. BYU, 3/23/61	USC 3-0
Ron Cook (8) vs. Pacific, 4/5/66	USC 12-0
Russ McQueen (7) vs. California, 3/30/74	USC 7-0
Brad Brink (7) and Brian Brooks (2) vs. Cal St Los Angeles, 2/18/86	USC 2-1
Rik Currier (5) vs. Miss St, 3/4/00	USC 7-1

A WEEK TO REMEMBER - Mark Prior had an impact in three games during the week of Feb. 21. On Tuesday (Feb. 22), Prior pitched two innings and recorded the win as the designated starter in USC's 7-3 win against the University of San Diego. He did not allow a hit, striking out four and walking one. On Friday (Feb. 25), he pitched seven and 2/3 innings to pick up his second straight win as the Trojans defeated the UCLA Bruins, 10-7. Prior retired 19 straight batters and, at one point, struck out five straight batters en route to a 13-strikeout performance. He scattered four hits and walked two Bruins. The following day, in a pinch-hit role, Prior singled to center and scored third baseman Justin Gemoll in the bottom of the ninth for the Trojans' 4-3 victory.

"K"LIMBING UP THE CHARTS - Rik Currier, with 58 strikeouts this season, is now in 10th place on USC's all-time career list with 246 strikeouts. He needs six strikeouts to tie Dan Hubbs (1990-93) for ninth place. This season, he started in 21st place and has passed such pitchers as Randy Johnson (1983-85 with 206) and Bill Lee (1966-68 with 211). As the team's No. 2 starter, Currier has a 6-2 record with a 3.93 ERA.

Career Strikeouts

7. Bruce Gardner, 1958-60	281
8. Randy Scarbery, 1971-73	261
9. Dan Hubbs, 1990-93	254
10. Rik Currier, 1998-00	248
11. Greg Widman, 1970-72	244

WHO'S HOT
C Beau Craig: has a six-game hitting streak (12-for-25, .480) with five home runs and 15 RBI
RF Rob Garibaldi: has a nine-game hitting streak (16-for-31, .516) with six doubles and five RBI
CF Josh Self: has a nine-game hitting streak (14-for-36, .389) with four doubles and eight RBI

NEWS & NOTES - The Trojans' game on March 7 at Cal State Fullerton, which was rained out, has been rescheduled for Wednesday (May 10) at 7 p.m. at Titan Field...Catcher Beau Craig hit the game-winning home run on March 21 in the resumption of the Feb. 8 suspended game against Loyola Marymount in the 10th and followed the heroics with two more home runs in the regularly scheduled game that day...Second baseman Anthony Lunetta hit three doubles at Stanford on March 18...For the second time this season, starting pitchers Rik Currier and Mark Prior entered a game in relief and recorded the win and the save, respectively, when both pitchers preserved a 5-3 win on March 14 at the University of San Diego in the second part of the doubleheader (the first time was on Feb. 15 at Cal State Fullerton).

DEDEAUX FIELD - This season marks the 26th year of play at Dedeaux Field, where USC has an all-time record of 561-251-1 (.691). When USC hosted San Diego State on March 30, 1999, it was 25 years to the day from when the first game was played at Dedeaux Field. It was a special opening day in 1974, as in the first game of a doubleheader, Russ McQueen threw a no-hitter against California.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES - Junior SS Seth Davidson appears on two preseason All-American teams, as a second-team selection in Collegiate Baseball and a third-team pick in Baseball America. Sophomore RHP Mark Prior, a transfer from Vanderbilt, made the Baseball America second team. In Baseball America's Pac-10 preview, UT Alberto Concepcion was named the conference's Freshman of the Year, Prior and Concepcion were listed as the first and second top newcomers, respectively, and freshman Anthony Lunetta was named the conference's top defensive second baseman.

THE RETURNERS - The Trojans return only three position starters and one starting pitcher from the 1999 team, but it's a group that makes up a nice nucleus. Junior SS Seth Davidson, a two-time All-Pac-10 pick, starts for the third straight year. Sophomore C Beau Craig was a Freshman All-American last season. Senior 3B Justin Gemoll provides a steady bat and glove. Junior RHP Rik Currier is one of the top strikeout artists in USC history. Other returners who are poised to make a larger impact in 2000 are OF Brian Barre, RHP Tanner Eriksen, LHP Ronald Flores, RHP Pete Montrenes, UT Josh Persell, RHP Tim Petke and UT Josh Self.

THE NEWCOMERS - It'll be difficult to distinguish the players apart without a program in 2000, as 20 of the 38 players are new to the roster. But it's a talented group, as Collegiate Baseball ranked the newcomers as the No. 1 recruiting class in the country (Baseball America ranked them second). The Trojans added Vanderbilt transfer - RHP Mark Prior - who was named Freshman All-American last season. OF Rob Garibaldi was the Northern California JC Player of the Year last season at Santa Rosa. Among the key freshmen are RHP Chad Clark, UT Alberto Concepcion, IF Anthony Lunetta and RHP Anthony Reyes.

1999 RECAP - Despite a rough start, USC rebounded nicely to post a successful 1999 season. The Trojans went 36-26 overall, 17-7 for second place in the Pac-10, won their own NCAA Los Angeles Regional and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals before losing at Stanford. LHP Barry Zito was named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year and was a unanimous All-American first teamer. C Eric Munson and OF/LHP Jason Lane were also named to at least one All-American first team. Early-season injuries and close losses saw the Trojans get off to a 4-11 start, but they went 29-12 the rest of the regular season.

2000 SUPERLATIVES

1-run games	6-3
2-run games	1-0
3-run games	1-0
4-run games	4-1
5+ run games	8-5

USC scores first	13-5
Opponent scores first	7-4

Day games	13-7
Night games	7-2

Extra innings

2-0

USC ahead after 5 innings	16-2
USC behind after 5 innings	2-6
Tied after 5 innings	2-1
USC ahead after 8 innings	18-1
USC behind after 8 innings	0-7
Tied after 8 innings	2-1
Against top 10 teams	5-5
Against top 25 teams	8-6
USC scores 10+ runs	4-0
Opponent scores 10+ runs	0-5
USC has 0-9 hits	8-8
USC has 10+ hits	12-1
USC has more hits	14-1
Opponent has more hits	2-8
Hits are equal	4-0
USC hits 0 home runs	3-4
USC hits 1 home run	8-3
USC hits 2+ home runs	9-2
USC makes 0 errors	7-0
USC makes 1 error	5-4
USC makes 2+ errors	8-5
USC has more errors	9-7
Opponent has more errors	5-1
Errors are equal	6-1
USC draws more walks	9-3
Opponent draws more walks	8-5
Walks are equal	3-1
On Mondays	0-0
On Tuesdays	7-1
On Wednesdays	0-0
On Fridays	4-3
On Saturdays	6-2
On Sundays	3-3
In January	2-0
In February	8-3
In March	10-6
In April	0-0
In May	0-0
Wearing white jerseys	9-3
Wearing red jerseys	6-2
Wearing grey jerseys	4-4
Wearing black jerseys	1-0

USC Rankings In National Polls

	Baseball	Collegiate	USA Today BB Weekly/
Date	America	Baseball	ESPN
Preseason	11th	15th	11th
Feb. 7	6th	17th	N/A
Feb. 14	9th	17th	15th
Feb. 21	9th	16th	14th
Feb. 28	7th	11th	11th
March 6	5th	5th	7th
March 13	12th	12th	15th
March 20	20th	13th	19th
March 27	16th	10th	16th

National Polls (As of March 27, 2000)

Baseball America

1.	Florida State
2.	Stanford
3.	Texas
4.	Clemson
5.	South Carolina
6.	Cal State Fullerton
7.	Arizona State
8.	Auburn
9.	Louisiana-Lafayette
10.	North Carolina
11.	LSU
12.	Houston
13.	Mississippi State
14.	Long Beach State
15.	Baylor
16.	USC
17.	Alabama
18.	Miami
19.	Creighton
20.	East Carolina
21.	Nevada
22.	Wake Forest
23.	Fresno State
24.	Notre Dame
25.	Stetson

Collegiate Baseball

1.	Clemson
2.	Florida State
3.	Texas
4.	Stanford
5.	South Carolina
6.	Louisiana-Lafayette
7.	Auburn
8.	Arizona State
9.	Houston
10.	USC
11.	Cal State Fullerton
12.	Long Beach State
13.	North Carolina
14.	Alabama
15.	Creighton
16.	Miami
17.	LSU
18.	East Carolina
19.	Mississippi State
20.	Baylor
21.	Notre Dame
22.	Georgia Tech
23.	Fresno State
24.	Stetson
25.	Central Florida

USA Today Baseball Weekly / ESPN

1.	Florida State
2.	Texas
3.	Stanford
4.	Clemson
5.	South Carolina
6.	Auburn
7.	Arizona State
8.	North Carolina
9.	Houston
10.	Louisiana-Lafayette
11.	Mississippi State
12.	Alabama
13.	Miami
14.	Cal State Fullerton
15.	Long Beach State
16.	USC
17.	Baylor
18.	LSU
19.	Fresno State
20.	East Carolina
21.	Creighton
22.	Georgia Tech
23.	Kentucky
24.	Wake Forest
25.	Stetson

2000 Pac-10 Standings
(as of March 29, 2000)

		Pac-10				Overall
	W	L	Pct.	GB	W	L	Pct.
USC	3	0	1.000	---	20	9	.690
Arizona State	2	1	.667	1.0	26	7	.788
Stanford	2	1	.667	1.0	20	7	.741
UCLA	2	1	.667	1.0	16	11	.593
Oregon State	0	0	.000	1.5	16	11	.503
California	4	5	.444	2.0	13	16	.448
Washington	1	2	.333	2.0	8	13	.381
Arizona	2	4	.333	2.5	17	18	.486
Washington State	2	4	.333	2.5	12	16	.429

This Week's Schedule

Friday, March 31
*USC at Arizona, 7 p.m.
*Stanford at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
*California at Washington, 6:30 p.m.
*UCLA at Oregon State, 2 p.m.
Washington State at Gonzaga, 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 1
*USC at Arizona, 1 p.m.
*Stanford at Arizona State, 1 p.m.
*California at Washington, 1 p.m. - FOX Sports Net
*UCLA at Oregon State, 1 p.m.
Gonzaga at Washington State, 1 p.m.

Sunday, April 2
*USC at Arizona, 1 p.m.
*Stanford at Arizona State, 1 p.m.
*California at Washington, 1 p.m.
*UCLA at Oregon State, 1 p.m.
Washington State at Gonzaga, 1 p.m.

*Pac-10 Conference game

University Southern California Trojans