Carson Pinches In and Helps USC Make a Dash for Title : Baseball: Former Notre Dame standout plays reserve role, waits for chance next season.

Glen Carson is no stranger to World Series competition.

The USC sophomore played in the Pony League World Series when he was 14 and the Babe Ruth World Series at 15.

“It’s always fun to play in this kind of atmosphere,” Carson said Tuesday after the Trojans eliminated Florida State, 16-11, in the College World Series. “It doesn’t matter if there are a few hundred in the stands or thousands like there are here.

“The goal is the same--to do the best you can when you get the chance.”

Carson, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound first baseman, has started only 10 games this season and has been used mainly as a pinch-hitter and late-inning defensive replacement.

He got his first opportunity to play in the College World Series on Tuesday when he replaced starter Greg Walbridge in the seventh inning.

Carson, a former standout at Notre Dame High, struck out in his only at-bat against Florida State, but was upbeat about his role on the team and the Trojans’ chances of winning their first national championship since 1978.

USC, which lost its opener against Miami last Friday, plays the Hurricanes again today. If the Trojans lose, they go home. If they win, they will play Miami on Friday for the right to advance to Saturday’s championship game.

Arizona, in 1980, was the last team to lose its series opener and go on to win the title. However, three of USC’s record 11 national titles were won by teams that came back from a first-round setback.

“We’ve never done anything easy this season,” said Carson, who is batting .231 in 52 at-bats with two doubles and eight runs batted in. “The loss to Miami in the first game wasn’t good but we’re used to fighting through troubles. We’ve done it all year.

“We just have to keep swinging the bats, cut down on errors and pitch like we can. We’re capable of winning the whole thing.”

Carson has grown accustomed to playing for winners. At Notre Dame, he played guard for a team that won the Southern Section 3-A basketball championship. Carson also was an All-Southern Section baseball player for the Knights, batting .439 with 25 RBIs in his senior year.

As a freshman last season, Carson batted .258 in 31 at-bats for a Trojan team that lost in the South Regional final at Baton Rouge, La.

His biggest contribution this season came in the West Regional at Fresno. Carson moved the tying and winning runs into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt in a second-round victory over Long Beach State, and also had a two-run pinch-single against the 49ers in the semifinals.

“Everyone envisions themselves playing every day and having a big role,” he said. “But my role on this team is not to be a superstar. When I get the little things done, and the bigger-name players come in and put the other team away, I’ve done my job.”

USC Coach Mike Gillespie said he expects Carson to compete for a more prominent role next season.

“Glen is always driving himself to get better and has done a great job this season handling a situation that we know is difficult,” Gillespie said. “You never know what is going to happen in a series like this. He could wind up playing a significant role for us here. But whether it’s now or next season, I know he is going to be ready when called upon.”