COLLEGE BASEBALL / SOUTHLAND PREVIEW : NCAA’s New Scheduling Rules Throw Coaches a Curve

Uncertainty is pervasive among Southland college baseball coaches this week as they prepare to open their seasons.

NCAA rules that took effect last fall limit baseball to 22 weeks of practice and competition and a maximum of 56 games. Coaches can spend no more than four hours a day and 20 hours a week with their players.

Those restrictions put serious crimps in programs that traditionally played as many as 25 fall games against junior colleges before they began regular spring schedules of 60 or more games.

Three-month fall programs thus gave way to four-week crash courses of instruction and intrasquad play.

“This is the first time in 10 years as a college baseball coach that I’ve started a season without really knowing where we stand,” said Pepperdine Coach Andy Lopez, whose team is ranked fourth by Baseball America magazine. “I don’t feel like we got a lot accomplished under the new rules. We’re a so-called seasoned group, and I don’t know if we’re ready.”

Cal State Long Beach, which is ranked fifth; Cal State Fullerton, 14th; and USC, 17th, join Pepperdine in the top 25.

Here is a look at the 10 Southland Division I teams:

USC

The Trojans lost six key position players, among them All-American outfielder Mark Smith, from a team that won the Pacific 10 Conference title and finished with a 46-17 record after being eliminated from the West I regional at Dedeaux Field.

Pitching will be the strong point for USC in Coach Mike Gillespie’s sixth season with the Trojans. Senior right-hander Jackie Nickell was the Pac-10’s pitcher of the year last season, compiling a 9-4 record and a 3.92 earned-run average. Junior right-hander Mike Collett (5-4, 4.00) and sophomore right-hander Kent Donnelly (7-1, 4.88) also will start.

Casey Burrill, a junior who batted .333, is the top returning hitter. Senior utility player Billy Morris (.274) is the only other player with extensive experience.

Sophomore catcher Bobby Hughes, a freshman All-American for Loyola Marymount in 1990, is the top newcomer for the Trojans.

USC will play 10 of its first 12 games on the road, beginning with its opener Saturday at Pepperdine.

UCLA

Junior center fielder Michael Moore is considered one of the most talented players in the nation. The Bruins need an outstanding season from him to offset the loss of outfielder Joel Wolfe and first baseman Chris Pritchett, who signed pro contracts.

Moore batted .328 with eight home runs and 22 stolen bases last season, then impressed professional scouts during the summer with his play in the Cape Cod League.

Junior second baseman Robert Hinds (.321), junior outfielder Shawn Wills (.329) and sophomore first baseman Ryan McGuire (.319) also return from a team that finished 29-30 last season.

Junior right-hander Pete Janicki (5-7, 6.09) is the Bruins’ top pitcher.

Shortstop Adam Melhuse, a transfer from Santa Clara who was the West Coast Conference’s freshman of the year last season, and junior right-hander Gary Adcock, a transfer from Riverside College, are the top newcomers for UCLA, which will open its season Feb. 3 against Cal State Los Angeles.

CAL STATE FULLERTON

The Titans are out to prove that the NCAA made a mistake last season when Fullerton tied for the Big West Conference championship but was not invited to the playoffs.

Coach Augie Garrido, in the second season of his second stint at Fullerton, has five experienced seniors from a team that finished 34-22 last season, including second baseman Steve Sisco (.350), catcher Jason Moler (.318), first baseman Frank Herman (.300) and right-handers Dan Naulty (8-3, 3.38) and James Popoff (7-3, 4.81).

Junior third baseman Phil Nevin (.335) will start for the third year. Top newcomers are freshman center fielder Dante Powell, who was a supplemental first-round draft choice of the Toronto Blue Jays, and junior right-hander Chad Dembisky, a transfer who was 12-5 with a 4.23 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 115 innings last season for Loyola Marymount.

Fullerton will open its season Feb. 4 at home against UCLA.

CAL STATE LONG BEACH

The 49ers are coming off their second College World Series appearance in three seasons under Coach Dave Snow. And Long Beach is a strong candidate for another trip to Omaha, despite the loss of All-American pitchers Steve Whitaker and Steve Trachsel and four other pitchers who signed professional contracts.

Long Beach has two of the country’s best infielders in junior third baseman Jason Giambi (.407) and junior shortstop Chris Gomez (.284), who transferred to Long Beach last fall from Loyola Marymount.

Senior outfielders Ed Christian (.394) and Michael Case (.385), senior first baseman Alan Burke (.328) and junior second baseman-outfielder Lamarr Rogers (.365) are returning starters from a team that finished 45-22.

Junior left-hander Todd Taylor (8-2, 2.95) is the 49ers’ top returning pitcher. He will be joined in the rotation by right-handers Brian Fontes and Mike McLain, who transferred from Fresno and Sacramento junior colleges, respectively.

Long Beach will open its season Feb. 3 at Loyola.

UC SANTA BARBARA

Shortstop Danny Lane batted .350 with 11 homers and 60 runs batted in last season before he suffered a season-ending injury.

Lane is back for his junior season and 12th-year Coach Al Ferrer is hoping he will help the Gauchos improve on last season’s 33-25-1 record.

Senior outfielder Dusty Madsen (.369), junior third baseman Rich Harr (.363), senior first baseman Jeff Antoon (.329) and senior second baseman David Waco (.306) also return.

Junior right-hander Travis Rodgers (3-1, 4.60) and sophomore right-hander Pat Bennett (0-2, 4.30, four saves) are the top returning pitchers.

Santa Barbara will open its season Thursday at Westmont.

UC IRVINE

The Anteaters finished 24-32 last season and survived budget cuts that threatened the existence of the program.

Unfortunately for 12th-year Coach Mike Gerakos, the uncertainty surrounding the program affected recruiting.

Irvine will be led by senior outfielder Matt Filson (.316), senior utility man Steve Ott (.300) and senior infielder Joe Furukawa (.279).

Senior right-hander David Bladow (5-7, 5.62) is the top returning pitcher.

Irvine opens its season today, playing host to Loyola Marymount.

PEPPERDINE

The Waves have not been to the College World Series since 1979, but this could be the year they return to Omaha.

With the exception of right field, every starting position player--and the top seven pitchers--are back from last season’s team that won the West Coast Conference title and finished 41-17 after losing in the West I regional.

Coach Andy Lopez begins his fourth season in Malibu with several outstanding juniors, including second baseman Steve Rodriguez (.419), first baseman Dan Melendez (.354), shortstop Eric Ekdahl (.325), center fielder Chris Sheff (.324) and catcher Scott Vollmer (.313).

Senior right-hander Patrick Ahearne (11-5, 3.42), senior left-hander Jerry Aschoff (6-5, 3.44) and junior right-handers Steve Duda (11-2, 3.07) and Derek Wallace (4-0, 2.58) will form the rotation. Junior right-hander Steve Montgomery (9-1, 1.49) will be the stopper.

Pepperdine opens its season today at home against Westmont, then will play a home-and-home series against USC this weekend.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

Coach Jody Robinson begins his first season with the Lions, replacing Chris Smith, who left to take a job in scouting with the Seattle Mariners.

Robinson, an assistant at Cal State Northridge last season, inherited an inexperienced team. Designated hitter Gerardo Perez (.309, 12 homers, 58 RBIs) is the only returning starter from a team that finished 38-22 last season.

The Lions’ roster has 15 freshmen, among them outfielder Mike Seal and pitcher Brian Fitzgerald.

Sophomore right-hander Shane Bowers, who sat out last season because of an arm injury, will open the season as the Lions’ top starter.

Loyola begins its season today against UC Irvine.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Last season, their first as a Division I independent, the Matadors fell three outs shy of advancing to the College World Series. Northridge lost to Fresno State in the final of the West II regional and finished 44-18-1.

Several key players return, including senior outfielder Greg Shockey (.366), junior second baseman Scott Richardson (.335), junior catcher Mike Sims (.308) and senior right-hander Ken Kendrena (13-2, 2.75).

Fourth-year Coach Bill Kernen is hoping that they can offset the loss of pitcher-utility man Craig Clayton (14-5, 2.25; .366) and pitcher-first baseman Scott Sharts (11-6, 3.47; 22 homers).

Northridge, which will join the Western Athletic Conference next year, will open its season Friday at home against Christ College Irvine.

CHAPMAN

The Panthers, under ninth-year Coach Mike Weathers, are playing their first season as a Division I independent after leaving the Division II California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Senior infielder Mike Giuseffi (.303) and senior right-hander Pete Coleman (7-7, 3.41) are the top returning players from a team that finished 15-36 last season.

Chapman will open its season at St. Mary’s on Friday.