He Knows the Way to Omaha

After starting 222 consecutive games for USC, Trojan shortstop Seth Davidson is an authority on preparation, particularly in postseason play.

Davidson, a senior from San Diego, has played in 28 NCAA playoff and College World Series games. His always steady, often spectacular defense and knack for delivering timely hits has earned him three consecutive selections on all-regional teams.

His secret?

“I don’t do anything different from the regular season, but there is definitely an awareness that more is on the line,” Davidson said. “That seems to bring out the best in me.”

Davidson and the third-seeded Trojans (42-17) will try for their third College World Series appearance in four years starting tonight when USC opens a best-of-three NCAA super regional series against Florida International (43-19) at Dedeaux Field.

Top-seeded Cal State Fullerton (44-16) hosts Mississippi State (39-22) in another super regional at Goodwin Field.

Winners of the eight super regionals advance to the World Series June 8-16 in Omaha.

USC, which has won 12 national championships and is seeking its 21st World Series appearance, advanced to the super regional by defeating Oral Roberts, Pepperdine and Fresno State in a regional at home last weekend.

Junior right-hander Mark Prior, projected as the possible No. 1 pick in next week’s major league draft, will start tonight for the Trojans. Prior, 6 feet 6 and 225 pounds is 13-1 with a 1.54 earned-run average.

Florida International, a state university of 35,000 students in Miami, finished third in the Sun Belt Conference but won a regional at South Bend, Ind., defeating UC Santa Barbara and winning two of three games against Notre Dame.

The Golden Panthers are trying to become the second Sun Belt team to reach the World Series. Louisiana Lafayette last season was the first.

Florida International is led by left-hander William Collazo, who is 13-0 with a 2.86 ERA. Collazo, however, is coming off a regional in which he threw 153 pitches in a victory over Santa Barbara, then came back two days later and threw 100 pitches in relief against Notre Dame.

Florida International Coach Danny Price is expected to start Paul Zervas (7-3, 3.66) tonight, saving Collazo for Game 2 against right-hander Rik Currier (11-2, 2.60).

Outfielder Barry Paulk is batting .304 with 30 stolen bases, and outfielder Miguel Quintana is batting .338 with 17 home runs and 61 runs batted in.

“They have a lot of good left-handed hitters and they can do a lot of things pretty well,” said Santa Barbara Coach Bob Brontsema, whose team lost to Florida International, 17-4. “They have some pop in their lineup and they can run.”

Florida International also might have some recent history on its side. The Golden Panthers are arguably the only longshot left among the 16 teams in super regionals--and the World Series seems to feature at least one a year. The Golden Panthers can also take comfort in knowing that USC has not advanced to the World Series from a playoff at Dedeaux Field since 1978.

Fullerton, which has won three national titles, has made 10 World Series appearances and is in the playoffs for the 23rd time. The Titans are hoping to capitalize on their first opportunity to advance to Omaha from home.

In a regional last weekend at Goodwin Field, the Titans defeated Temple and Arizona State, then lost to Texas Tech before coming back to beat the Red Raiders for the title.

Senior right-hander Kirk Saarloos (14-2, 2.22) starts and relieves for a team that also features Jon Smith (10-2, 3.48) and Darric Merrell (6-4, 3.10).

Mississippi State won the Southeastern Conference tournament and swept through a regional at Columbus, Ohio, with two victories over Kent State and one against Delaware. The Bulldogs have nine pitchers with earned-run averages less than 4.00. Junior right-hander Tanner Brock (7-1, 3.73) and freshman left-hander Paul Maholm (8-4, 4.06) are the top starters.

Jon Knott, who is batting .359, and Matthew Brinson (.335) are the only starting position players hitting better than .300.

“The statistics don’t mean much,” Fullerton Coach George Horton said. “They are one of the hottest teams in the country right now. We still have a lot to prove.”

USC’s Davidson, 6-0, 175 pounds, has been on a season-long mission to do the same after falling to the 46th round of last year’s draft.

Before the 2000 season, Davidson said, he had told scouts it would take at least $150,000 to make him forgo his final year at USC.

“When you say a number, that translates to a round and for me it was the eighth round,” Davidson said. “They thought I overpriced myself, but I didn’t. I thought it was fair.”

Davidson didn’t help himself by slumping at the start of the season. But by the end he got hot and finished with a .305 batting average, four home runs and 34 RBIs.

He spent last summer in the weight room and took classes that helped him get his degree in economics this spring. This season, he has become the Trojans’ all-time leader in hits with 304, runs with 195, and stolen bases with 65. He is batting .316 with a homer and 25 RBIs going into tonight’s game.

“He took a little hit with the draft, but he’s turned it into a positive,” Prior said. “He’s going to be given an opportunity [professionally] this year and he’s going to run with it. He’ll probably look back and say, ‘It was the best thing that could have happened to me.’ ”

First, however, Davidson is hoping to lead the Trojans to their second national championship in four years.

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Schedule

Best-of-three series (winner advances to College World Series)

USC (42-17) vs.

Florida International (43-19)

at Dedeaux Field

* Game 1--Tonight, 6 p.m

* Game 2--Saturday, 1 p.m.

* Game 3--Sunday, 1 p.m.*

*if necessary

Cal State Fullerton (44-16)

vs. Mississippi State (39-22)

at Goodwin Field

* Game 1--Tonight, 7 p.m

* Game 2--Saturday, 7 p.m.

* Game 3--Sunday, 1 p.m.*

*if necessary

College baseball super regional schedule, D12