Powerful Presence Should Be Felt

By GARY KLEIN

Jan. 31, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Southland college baseball teams enjoyed a successful decade in the 1990s as Pepperdine won its first national title in 1992, Cal State Fullerton its third in 1995 and USC its 12th in 1998.

Long Beach State and UCLA also made College World Series appearances during a decade in which the balance of power in the sport supposedly shifted to the Southeast.

Louisiana State won four World Series titles during the ‘90s and Miami won the title last season.

But as the 2000 season begins, Stanford is ranked No. 1 and Fullerton is No. 2 in Baseball America magazine’s preseason poll. The teams begin a three-game series Friday at Palo Alto that could serve as a preview of the College World Series championship game.

“It’s unusual for us to get this kind of [rankings] notoriety this early,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said. “We’re usually in the low-teens with a team we feel pretty good about and we earn our way into the top five.

“Last year when we were eliminated in Omaha, I said to reporters, ‘We’ll be back.’ That wasn’t based on emotion. That was based on who we have coming back and who we had coming in.”

Here is a look at each of the Southland’s eight Division I teams:

CAL STATE FULLERTON

Fullerton won a super regional at Ohio State and made its 10th World Series appearance last season, finishing 50-14.

Four top pitchers return: Matt Sorensen, who was 12-0; Adam Johnson (10-4); Jon Smith (7-1) and reliever Kirk Saarloos (7-3, seven saves).

Senior outfielder Chris Beck batted .409 with eight home runs and 75 runs batted in. Second baseman David Bacani (.332, seven homers) and first baseman Aaron Rifkin (.378) are also back.

Pitchers Ron Corona and Mike Nunez and outfielder Matt Belfanti are JC transfers who will have an immediate impact. Freshman Mike Martinez is challenging to become the starting shortstop.

Tim Wallach, the 1979 college player of the year at Fullerton who was a five-time All-Star in the major leagues, has joined the Titan staff as a volunteer assistant and will coach first base.

UCLA

The Bruins made a trip to the College World Series in 1997 and are expected to make a run at returning to Omaha this season.

UCLA, 31-31 last season, is ranked fourth.

Sophomore right-hander Josh Karp (8-3, 4.26 earned-run average) and junior right-hander Jon Brandt (7-4, 4.21) anchor the pitching staff.

Junior outfielder Bill Scott (.380, 28 homers, 86 RBIs), junior second baseman Chase Utley (.317, 16 homers, 56 RBIs) and junior third baseman Garrett Atkins (.375, 14 homers, 41 RBIs) give Coach Gary Adams plenty of punch in his 26th season.

Freshman pitcher Mike Kunes of Chatsworth is expected to contribute immediately.

USC

The big bats of Eric Munson and Jason Lane are gone, but the Trojans still open the season ranked 11th after advancing to the super regional at Stanford last season and finishing 36-26.

Coach Mike Gillespie begins his 14th season with 20 new players.

Junior shortstop Seth Davidson (.345), sophomore catcher Beau Craig (.319, 50 RBIs) and senior third baseman Justin Gemoll (.300) are the only returning starters.

Junior right-hander Rik Currier (5-7, 6.38) is the most experienced starting pitcher.

Right-hander Mark Prior and outfielder Aaron Fausett transferred from Vanderbilt after outstanding freshman seasons and junior outfielder Rob Garibaldi is a transfer from Santa Rosa College.

Right-hander Chad Clark, left-hander Anthony Reyes, infielder Anthony Lunetta and catcher Alberto Concepcion are freshmen who were part of one of the nation’s best recruiting classes.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

The Lions, ranked 17th, were 33-28 last season and have won consecutive West Coast Conference titles.

Unfortunately, Loyola twice was sent to regionals at Stanford and was eliminated.

That experience, however, could pay off for fourth-year Coach Frank Cruz and a team that features several talented players from the recruiting class of 1997.

Junior Michael Shultz is a 6-foot-8, 210-pound right-hander who is regarded as a top pro prospect. He was 7-6 with a 5.20 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 123 innings last season.

Junior left-hander Billy Traber is also a pro prospect. Last season, he was 8-6 with a 4.20 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 135 innings. Senior left-hander Ben Bonilla was 7-6 with a 4.27 ERA.

Junior catcher Scott Walter (.337, 47 RBIs), senior second baseman Anthony Angel (.322) and sophomore third baseman Tommy Perez (12 homers, 50 RBI) are catalysts on offense.

PEPPERDINE

The Waves won 30 of their first 33 games last season and finished 46-16 after they were eliminated by USC in a sub-regional at Dedeaux Field.

Pepperdine ranked second in the nation in team fielding percentage at .972 and ninth in ERA at 3.80.

Seven of eight starting position players are back, among them junior catcher Dan Sardinha, who batted .365 with 15 homers and 63 RBIs, senior second baseman Damon Katz (.343, five homers and 48 RBIs) and sophomore outfielder Woody Cliffords (.330).

Fourth-year Coach Frank Sanchez will have another strong pitching staff, but must find a replacement for closer Jay Gehrke.

Sophomore Dan Haren was 10-3 with a 3.08 ERA and junior Jay Adams was 11-3 with a 2.56 ERA last season.

Left-hander Noah Lowry, a transfer from Ventura College, and freshman outfielder Michael Falco are expected to make immediate contributions.

LONG BEACH STATE

The 49ers finished 35-25 last season after they were eliminated in a regional at College Station, Texas.

Long Beach is unranked by Baseball America. But like Fullerton, the 49ers are perennial contenders for a World Series berth.

Coach Dave Snow begins his 12th season at Long Beach with a team led by senior outfielder Chuck Lopez, who was sidelined all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery. Lopez batted .422 with 52 RBIs in 1998.

Sophomore outfielder Chris Wright (.332), junior catcher Bryan Kennedy (.312) and sophomore shortstop Bobby Crosby (.316) pace the offense.

Junior Jeff Leuenberger was 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA last season.

UC SANTA BARBARA

The Gauchos were 27-26 in 1999, leading the Big West Conference with a .964 fielding percentage.

If Coach Bob Brontsema’s team is to be a factor in the Big West race, the pitching staff must significantly improve on last season’s 6.19 ERA.

Senior left-hander Troy Kinto (4-3, 5.48 ERA) and sophomore Chris Quiroz (2-3, 5.01 with 10 saves) are the top returning pitchers.

Junior infielders Dave Molidor (.361, 44 RBIs), Jeff Bannon (13 homers, 46 RBIs) and Chad Peshke (.316, 41 RBIs) lead the offense.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

The Matadors are coming off a 27-29 finish in 1999, their first losing season since 1995.

Fifth-year Coach Mike Batesole has a young team that will play as an independent again before moving into the Big West Conference next season.

Sophomore right-hander Mike Frick is the Matadors’ top starting pitcher. He was 3-0 with three saves last season. Junior Ryan McDermott, a transfer from Santa Ana College, is the No. 2 starter.

Sophomore shortstop J.T. Stotts batted .400 in 25 games last season before suffering a broken foot. First baseman Tim Arroyo (.328) and center fielder Jason Watkins (.292) are other returning position players.

Freshman Bill Murphy will pitch and play outfield.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Preseason Polls

Division I

Rankings by Baseball America, including last year’s record:

1. Stanford: 50-15

2. CS Fullerton: 50-14

3. Alabama: 53-16

4. UCLA: 31-31

5. Miami: 50-13

6. Houston: 40-24

7. Florida State: 57-14