Prior Finds Mark for USC

It took Mark Prior a few innings to get acclimated to pitching against a Florida International team that had five consecutive left-handed batters at the top of its lineup.

But once Prior found his groove, everything was right again for USC.

Prior gave up seven hits, struck out nine and continued an incredible demonstration of control Friday night as USC defeated the Golden Panthers, 5-1, before a sellout crowd of 2,120 in the opening game of a best-of-three NCAA super regional at Dedeaux Field.

USC (43-17), seeded third nationally, can clinch its 21st College World Series appearance with a victory today. USC right-hander Rik Currier (11-2, 2.60 earned-run average) will face Golden Panther ace William Collazo (13-0, 2.86) at 1 p.m.

Prior (14-1), projected as the possible No. 1 pick in next week’s major league draft, gave up a first-inning run then settled in to pitch his sixth complete game. He was buoyed by the Trojans’ four-run fifth inning that was highlighted by Abel Montanez’s lead-off home run to right and Anthony Lunetta’s three-run shot to left.

“It took me awhile to find what I needed to find,” Prior said. “I throw better when I’m into the game emotionally and after Abel hit that bomb, it really got me fired up.”

Prior’s nine strikeouts increased his season total to 189, which broke the USC and Pacific 10 Conference record of 182 set by former Trojan Seth Etherton in 1998. He struck out eight in the final four innings and lowered his ERA to 1.50.

“He got faster and his curve ball got tougher as the game went on,” Florida International center fielder Matt Huntingford said. “His curve was disgusting--the best I’ve ever seen.”

Prior’s performance Friday marked the seventh time this season that he has not issued a walk. In the 57 innings of those starts, he has recorded 86 strikeouts.

Prior has given up 91 hits and walked 17 in 131 2/3 innings this season. The Trojan staff has not issued a walk in 31 innings.

Florida International (43-20) did not look like it would need free passes the way it started the game.

With one out in the first inning, Huntingford hit a double down the left-field line and Hector Nunez drove him in with a single to right to put Florida International ahead, 1-0.

Trojan catcher Alberto Concepcion quelled the threat of a big inning when he threw out Nunez trying to advance to second base on a pitch in the dirt.

Concepcion also threw out lead-off batter Barry Paulk at second base in the third inning as Prior faced the minimum 12 batters over the next four innings.

That set the stage for Montanez, who hit starter Paul Zervas’ first pitch of the fifth inning over the wall in right field.

One out later, Seth Davidson doubled into the right-field gap. After Concepcion struck out, Bill Peavey walked and Lunetta hit a towering shot to left.

“I was really hesitant in my previous at bat, so I was just trying to be more aggressive,” said Lunetta, who started at second base for the first time since April 8, when he injured his arm while warming up to pitch at the end of a blowout loss to Arizona State.

USC added a run in the sixth when Joshua Banks walked Lunetta with the bases loaded.

Florida International threatened in the ninth when Paulk and Huntingford started the inning with consecutive singles.

But Prior struck out Nunez and Mike Quintana, and third baseman Michael Moon made a leaping grab of a line drive by Daniel Bustamante to end the game.

“This win, especially since we started kind of slow, was important. . .,” Davidson said. “We played a lot better at the end of the game and that will carry over to [today].”