COLLEGE BASEBALL : USC’s Jenkins Sees Big Picture

A photograph hangs on the wall of the home clubhouse at USC’s Dedeaux Field, radiating an almost mystical aura to Geoff Jenkins.

The panoramic shot of Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, taken from beyond the center-field fence, serves as a reminder of College World Series past--and perhaps the near future.

Jenkins, a junior outfielder, has never been to Rosenblatt Stadium. No Trojan, in fact, has competed there for USC since 1978, the year the Trojans made their 17th trip to the World Series and won a record 11th national title.

But Jenkins said he knows the place well.

“I look at that picture all the time,” he said. “For two years, we’ve been one game away. I can just smell that grass in Omaha.”

Jenkins and second-ranked USC (41-18) begin their quest for a long-awaited return trip to their field of dreams when the No. 1-seeded Trojans open play in the West Regional against sixth-seeded Middle Tennessee State (35-24) today at noon at Fresno’s Beiden Field.

Second-seeded Long Beach State (35-23) plays fifth-seeded Southwest Missouri (37-19) and third-seeded Fresno State (41-20) plays fourth-seeded Pepperdine (34-17) in other first-round games of perhaps the toughest of the eight regionals in the 48-team tournament.

Winners of the double-elimination regionals advance to the World Series, which begins June 2, a day after Jenkins figures to be one of the first players selected in the major league draft.

“From a pro perspective, Jenkins is probably the best hitter in college baseball,” an American League scout said. “He hits for average and has great power to all fields. No one in the country has the bat speed that kid has. Some of the balls he has hit this year have been absolute bombs.”

Jenkins, 6 feet 1 and 200 pounds, is batting .392 with 18 home runs and 59 runs battedin.

He is considered a leading candidate for national player of the year, along with Tennessee first baseman Todd Helton and Cal State Fullerton outfielder Mark Kotsay, both of whom serve as their team’s closers.

“Some guys aren’t as good as advertised,” Long Beach State Coach Dave Snow said. “He is all that he is made up to be.”

Jenkins, a 24th-round draft pick by the San Diego Padres in 1992, has been a force on defense as well. In the first game of last week’s Pacific 10 Conference championship series against Washington State, he made two diving catches in the right-field gap that staved off threats.

Jenkins said the Trojans will not look past any of the teams in the regional.

Middle Tennessee State is making its first regional appearance since 1991, when USC hosted the West Regional and defeated the Blue Raiders, 7-5, in the first round.

Southwest Missouri State right-hander Jarrod Mays is 10-0 with a 2.96 ERA. First baseman Steve Hacker leads the nation with 36 home runs and is second with 93 RBIs.

Long Beach State features outfielder Jeff Liefer (.346, nine homers) and pitchers Scott Rivette (9-5, 2.93), Kyle Wilson (11-3, 3.93 ERA), Rocky Biddle (5-1, 3.99) and closer Gabe Gonzalez (17 saves).

Pepperdine, the 1992 national champion, features outfielders Dave Newhan (.379), Ryan Christenson (.376) and infielder Justin Hodgdon (.349), the top three hitters in the West Coast Conference. Freshman left-hander Randy Wolf (8-1, 1.84 ERA) will start tonight for the Waves against Fresno State, the Western Athletic Conference champion.

In a regional full of talented players, Jenkins is hoping to make his mark and help the Trojans get a first-hand look at Rosenblatt Stadium.

“It seems like every year, we run into that one big player that beats us and keeps us out,” he said. “Two years ago it was [Brooks] Kieschnick of Texas and last year it was [Todd] Walker of LSU.

“Maybe this year we can turn the tide and I can be that big player that gets us there.”

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Top-ranked Cal State Fullerton plays Northeast Louisiana today in a first-round game of the South Regional at Baton Rouge, La.

Fullerton (49-9) is seeded No. 1 in a regional that also includes LSU (45-16), Rice (40-17), James Madison (42-15), Central Michigan (40-17) and Northeast Louisiana (37-18).