University Southern California Trojans
Baseball Prepares For Stanford
April 19, 2000 | Baseball
April 19, 2000
Upcoming Games Schedule
Thursday, April 20 vs. No. 4 Stanford* - Dedeaux Field - 6 p.m.
Friday, April 21 vs. No. 4 Stanford* - Dedeaux Field - 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 vs. No. 4 Stanford* - Dedeaux Field - 1p.m.
Tuesday, April 25 at UC Santa Barbara - Caesar Uyesaka Stadium - 2 p.m.
* - Pac-10 conference game All rankings based from Baseball America
LOS ANGELES -- The USC baseball team -- winner of 12 NCAA championships, more than twice as many as any other school -- is 26-15 in the 2000 season. The Trojans lost two of three at California last weekend, 6-5, 5-9 and 3-4, and defeated UCLA, 6-2, in a non-conference game on Tuesday (April 18).
RANKINGS -- USC is No. 20 in the latest USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches' poll, No. 22 in Collegiate Baseball and not ranked in Baseball America. Stanford is ranked No. 4 in all three polls. UC Santa Barbara is not ranked in any poll.
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 545-308-2 (.639) 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. On April 19, pitcher Mark Prior was invited to the team trials to be held June 16-21 in Tucson, Ariz. Prior was a member of the 1999 USA National Team.
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 TROUBLE -- The Trojans have an opportunity to set a school record for doubles. USC has hit 95 doubles in the 2000 season in 41 games, the school record is 157 set during the 1997 season in 62 games. Freshman second baseman Anthony Lunetta has a team-leading 19 doubles and needs 10 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 in the 2000 season why he earned All-America honors in his freshman season last year at Vanderbilt. Prior has a 5-5 record with a 3.69 ERA. In 85 and 1/3 innings of work, Prior has allowed 82 hits, struck out 88 batters and walked 28 as opponents have hit .252 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. Prior was recently invited to the 2000 USA Baseball National Team Trials, he was a member of the USA National Team last year.
MEET MISTER NO. 2 -- Junior Rik Currier (Dana Point/Capistrano Valley HS) is recording his best season as a Trojan pitcher. He has been USC's No. 2 pitcher in the rotation for most of the season, but moved up to a Friday start on April 7 at UCLA when Mark Prior could not pitch due to flu symptoms (he could remain the Friday pitcher for the remainder of the season). Currier responded by pitching his second complete game of the season in the Trojans' 5-1 win over the Bruins. Currier allowed one run on five hits and struck out a season-high 12 batters while only walking two. For the season, Currier is 9-2 with a 3.86 ERA. In 74 and 2/3 innings of work, Currier has allowed 73 hits, walked 36 and struck out 82 batters. Opponents are hitting .250 against him.
"K"LIMBING UP THE CHARTS -- Rik Currier, with 82 strikeouts this season, is in eighth place on USC's all-time career list with 270 strikeouts. He needs 11 strikeouts to tie Bruce Gardner (1958-60) for seventh 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).
Career Strikeouts
| 5. Walt Peterson, 1963-64 | 288 |
| 6. Jim Barr, 1968-70 | 286 |
| 7. Bruce Gardner, 1958-60 | 281 |
| 8. Rik Currier, 1998-00 | 270 |
| 9. Randy Scarbery, 1971-73 | 261 |
DR. NO-NO -- Rik Currier found out on the morning of 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 State Los Angeles, 2/18/86 USC 2-1
Rik Currier (5) vs. Mississippi State, 3/4/00 USC 7-1
JUST IN TIME -- Third baseman Justin Gemoll from San Jose (Bellarmine Prep/UC Santa Barbara) has been on an offensive tear lately for the Trojans. He leads the team with a .379 batting average (55-for-145) and is second on the team with 41 RBI. He hit a home run in seven out of eight games from April 1-14.. He slammed a two-run homer on April 11 in the bottom of the ninth in the Trojans' 6-4 win over San Diego State. On April 1 at Arizona, Gemoll went 3-for-6 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI and on March 25 vs. Washington State, he recorded a 2-for-4 performance with a triple, a home run and five RBI. He has recorded three hits in a game five times this season and has two four-hit games. He has 13 multi-RBI games this season and leads the team in on-base percentage (.483) and slugging percentage (.786).
AWESOME IN APRIL -- Justin Gemoll has been "showering" opposing pitchers in the month of April with home runs. This month, Gemoll is batting .447 (17-for-38) with three doubles, seven home runs and 13 RBI.
LUNAR ECLIPSE -- Freshman second baseman Anthony Lunetta (Riverside/Arlington HS) has made an impact at the plate. He is second on the team with a .365 batting average (58-for-159). He leads the team with 19 doubles (the school record is 29 by Brett Jenkins in the 1991 season). Lunetta hit two home runs in a 2-for-4 day with five RBI on April 1 at Arizona. 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 .288 batting average (44-for-153) and leads the team in home runs (14) and RBI (47). 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.
YOU DROPPED A BEAU ON ME -- Catcher Beau Craig hit five home runs over a period of six games from March 19 through March 28, 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.
THE GREAT GARIBALDI -- Sophomore Rob Garibaldi from Petaluma (Casa Grande HS/Santa Rosa College) has been steady for the Trojans in right field and has improved at the plate. Garibaldi is fourth on the team with a .338 batting average (47-for-135) and is second on the team with 16 doubles. He is second on the team with 17 multi-hit games (13 games with two hits and four with three hits).
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.
WHO'S HOT
DH Josh Persell: six-game hitting streak (11-23, .478), two doubles, two RBI
NEWS & NOTES -- In a 15-5 loss at UCLA on April 8, the Trojans had five hits (four solo home runs and one double)...Third baseman Justin Gemoll recovered on April 2 after making two errors, which led to two unearned runs in the bottom of the first, at Arizona by hitting a solo home run in the top of the second in a 6-2 win...The Trojans were no fools by scoring a season-high 20 runs on April 1 in a 20-9 win at Arizona...Also on April 1, the Trojans scored 13 runs in the first three innings.
SCHEDULE NOTES -- The April 25 game against UC Santa Barbara, originally scheduled for Dedeaux Field, will now be played at Caeser Uyesaka Stadium in Santa Barbara at 2 p.m. (the March 7 game vs. UCSB, originally scheduled in Santa Barbara, was moved to Dedeaux Field due to heavy rains). The rained out March 5 game at Cal State Fullerton has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 10, at 7 p.m.
TROJANS ON THE INTERNET -- All games for the remainder of the 2000 season will be broadcast on the Internet. The broadcast via Fansonly.com can be accessed through USC's website at www.usctrojans.com.
DEDEAUX FIELD -- This season marks the 26th year of play at Dedeaux Field, where USC has an all-time record of 563-252-1 (.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.
Opponent Outlook
Stanford (Pac-10 series)
Thursday, April 20 - Dedeaux Field - 6 p.m.
Friday, April 21 - Dedeaux Field - 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 - Dedeaux Field - 1 p.m.
All games will be broadcast live on www.usctrojans.com
SCOUTING THE CARDINAL -- No. 4 Stanford is 29-9 this season and tied for first with Arizona State in Pac-10 play with a 9-3 record. The Cardinal has an eight-game winning streak. Last weekend, John Gall set a school record for career hits (332) and needs only six to break the Pac-10 record of 337 set by Arizona's Chip Hale. Stanford is batting .295 as a team. The pitching staff has an ERA of 3.37 and has held opponents to a .212 batting average. Justin Wayne is laying claim as one of the nation's top starters with a 9-1 record and a 2.43 ERA. In 85 and 1/3 innings, he has allowed only 58 hits and struck out 97. The bullpen is anchored by Mike Gosling (2-2, 2.43 ERA, 2 saves) and Jeff Bruksch (2-2, 2.38 ERA, 8 saves). Head Coach Mark Marquess is in his 24th season and has two national championships to his credit (1987 and 1988).
THE SERIES -- USC holds a 192-137-2 series record all-time against Stanford. The Cardinal beat the Trojans, two games to one, in a non-conference series earlier this year (4-3, 7-11 and 11-4).
PROBABLE STARTERS
| USC | Stanford | |
| Thursday | Rik Currier (RHP) | Justin Wayne (RHP) |
| 9-2, 3.86 | 9-1, 2.43 | |
| Friday | Mark Prior (RHP) | Jason Young (RHP) |
| 5-5, 3.69 | 5-0, 3.79 | |
| Saturday | Anthony Reyes (RHP) | Tim Cunningham (LHP) |
| 3-5, 4.27 | 3-1, 2.56 |
2000 SUPERLATIVES
1-run games 7-5
2-run games 2-0
3-run games 1-1
4-run games 7-2
5+ run games 9-7
USC scores first 18-8
Opponent scores first 8-7
Day games 18-11
Night games 8-4
Extra innings 2-0
USC ahead after 5 innings 21-3
USC behind after 5 innings 2-11
Tied after 5 innings 3-1
USC ahead after 8 innings 22-3
USC behind after 8 innings 0-11
Tied after 8 innings 3-2
Against top 10 teams 5-5
Against top 25 teams 10-9
USC scores 10+ runs 5-0
Opponent scores 10+ runs 0-7
USC has 0-9 hits 12-12
USC has 10+ hits 14-3
USC has more hits 18-2
Opponent has more hits 4-12
Hits are equal 4-1
USC hits 0 home runs 3-7
USC hits 1 home run 10-4
USC hits 2+ home runs 13-4
USC makes 0 errors 9-1
USC makes 1 error 7-7
USC makes 2+ errors 10-7
USC has more errors 11-8
Opponent has more errors 7-4
Errors are equal 8-3
USC draws more walks 13-4
Opponent draws more walks 8-8
Walks are equal 5-3
On Mondays 0-0
On Tuesdays 9-1
On Wednesdays 0-1
On Thursdays 0-0
On Fridays 6-4
On Saturdays 7-4
On Sundays 4-5
In January 2-0
In February 8-3
In March 10-7
In April 6-5
In May 0-0
Wearing white jerseys 11-4
Wearing red jerseys 7-4
Wearing grey jerseys 6-7
Wearing black jerseys 2-0
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 |
| April 3 | 14th | 10th | 15th |
| April 10 | 19th | 16th | 18th |
| April 17 | N/R | 22nd | 20th |
2000 Pac-10 Standings
(as of April 19, 2000)
| Pac-10 | Overall | ||||||
| W | L | Pct. | GB | W | L | Pct. | |
| Arizona State | 9 | 3 | .750 | --- | 33 | 9 | .786 |
| Stanford | 9 | 3 | .750 | --- | 29 | 9 | .763 |
| UCLA | 7 | 2 | .778 | 0.5 | 24 | 16 | .600 |
| USC | 7 | 5 | .583 | 2.0 | 26 | 15 | .634 |
| California | 8 | 7 | .533 | 2.5 | 20 | 20 | .500 |
| Arizona | 6 | 9 | .400 | 4.5 | 21 | 23 | .477 |
| Oregon State | 3 | 6 | .333 | 4.5 | 21 | 18 | .538 |
| Washington | 3 | 9 | .250 | 6.0 | 15 | 20 | .412 |
| Washington State | 2 | 10 | .167 | 7.0 | 14 | 25 | .359 |
This Week's Schedule
Thursday, April 20
*Stanford at USC, 6 p.m.
*Washington State at Arizona, 7 p.m.
UCLA at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
*Oregon State at California, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, April 21
*Stanford at USC, 6 p.m.
*Washington State at Arizona, 7 p.m.
*UCLA at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
*Oregon State at California, 2:30 p.m.
Washington at Wichita State, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 22
*Stanford at USC, 1 p.m.
*Washington State at Arizona, 1 p.m.
*UCLA at Arizona State, 1 p.m.
*Oregon State at California, 1 p.m.
Washington at Wichita State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 23
Washington at Wichita State, 1 p.m.
*Pac-10 Conference game
