Zito to Make His Money Pitch

USC pitcher Barry Zito is scheduled to meet with executives from the Oakland Athletics late tonight to get acquainted with his possible future employers.

Zito, a junior left-hander, was selected by the A’s with the ninth pick in Wednesday’s amateur draft. And though there can be no million-dollar bonus negotiations just yet, Zito has an opportunity to demonstrate how much he might be worth.

He will get that chance when he takes the mound at Stanford’s Sunken Diamond tonight in the first game of a best-of-three super-regional against the Cardinal.

“Now that the draft is over, I don’t feel any pressure,” said Zito, who has won 11 consecutive starts and is averaging 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings. “I’m just going to go out there and try to set the tone for the series.”

Cal State Fullerton also opens play in a super-regional tonight against Ohio State at Columbus, Ohio. Winners of the eight super-regionals advance to the College World Series June 11-19 in Omaha.

Twelve-time national champion USC (36-24) and two-time champion Stanford (46-13) have been playing since 1923, but the super-regional marks the first time the teams will meet in the NCAA playoffs.

USC leads the series, 190-130-3, and has won four of six games at Stanford over the last two years.

The teams have split six games this season. Stanford won two of three nonconference games at USC’s Dedeaux Field in February and USC won two of three at Stanford in a Pacific 10 Conference series in April. The Trojans are the only team to have beaten Stanford in the Cardinal’s last 24 home games.

Stanford, seeded sixth nationally, won the Pac-10 title and advanced to the super-regional by defeating Nevada in a regional final at home last weekend. USC, the Pac-10 runner-up, advanced by defeating Pepperdine for a regional title at Dedeaux Field.

USC Coach Mike Gillespie juggled his rotation in the regional, starting senior right-hander Justin Lehr in the opener against Virginia Commonwealth so Zito (12-2, 3.44 earned-run average) could pitch the second game against Pepperdine. Lehr (7-2, 4.11 ERA), an eighth-round draft pick by the A’s, responded with a shutout, but Gillespie isn’t taking any chances against Stanford.

Zito pitched twice this season against the Cardinal. He struck out 11 in six innings and got a no-decision in a 10-7 loss Feb. 26. He gave up one run in seven innings in a 10-1 victory April 16.

“In the second game, they were so much more disciplined and they were much tougher outs,” Zito said.

Sophomore right-hander Jason Young (10-3, 3.36 ERA) will start tonight for Stanford with sophomore right-hander Justin Wayne (8-1, 5.12 ERA) expected to face Lehr Saturday.

USC sophomore right-hander Rik Currier (5-7, 6.38 ERA) will pitch against freshman right-hander Brian Sager (6-0, 3.98 ERA) Sunday if a third game is necessary.

Trojan catcher Eric Munson, selected by the Detroit Tigers with the third pick in the draft, is batting .338 with 14 home runs and 40 runs batted in. Outfielder Jason Lane, a sixth-round pick by the Houston Astros, is batting .361 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs.

Stanford is led on offense by junior first baseman John Gall (.325, 10 homers, 64 RBIs), sophomore right-fielder Joe Borchard (.391, 10 homers, 54 RBIs) and senior third baseman Josh Hochgesang (.314, 16 homers, 65 RBIs).

Fullerton (47-11), seeded third nationally, will try to get past Ohio State (49-12) without some of its top players.

Four Titans, two of them pitchers who started in last weekend’s regional, were suspended after they were arrested for an alleged rock-throwing incident Sunday night in South Bend, Ind.

Sophomore Matt Sorenson (11-0, 4.20 ERA) is scheduled to start tonight for Fullerton and sophomore left-hander Jon Smith (6-0, 2.59 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Saturday.

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The Locals

SUPER-REGIONAL AT STANFORD

Best of Three

* USC (36-24) at Stanford (46-13), tonight, 7; Saturday, 1 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m., if necessary

SUPER-REGIONAL AT OHIO STATE

Best of Three

* Cal State Fullerton (47-11) at Ohio State (49-12), today, 4; Saturday, 4 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m., if necessary