COLLEGE BASEBALL: WRIGHT ON: EX-HART STAR HIT AT LONG BEACH SENIOR OUTFIELDER ADDS TO HIS RECORDS.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

Former MVP and New York Yankees multi-millionaire Jason Giambi is Long Beach State's most famous baseball alumnus. Jeff Liefer and Bobby Crosby were both first-round draft picks.

However, none can match what Chris Wright has done at Long Beach, one of the more respected programs in all of college baseball.

Wright, a senior outfielder from Hart High, surpassed Chuck Lopez as the 49ers' career hit leader earlier this season. Entering Friday's NCAA Regional opener, Wright's hit total stands at 259. Lopez had 245 in his career. Giambi finished with 208, Crosby 206 and Liefer 230 in their three-year careers.

Wright, who had 66, 53 and 69 hits his first three seasons at Long Beach, has been consistent throughout his career.

``To have that record he must have been,'' said first-year 49ers head coach Mike Weathers.

Wright's never hit below .308 in a season and is a solid .333 with two homers and 34 RBI as a senior.

``I just tried to go out and play. I figured I had a good chance of (breaking the record). So I played and tried not to let that interfere with my season. It feels good,'' Wright said. ``It's hard work and sacrifice. And I think because I put in the time, I'm able to do these things.''

Wright wants to play professionally, and Weathers thinks he might get a crack at it.

``I think he'll have to play left field and just see,'' Weathers said. ``He's not the quickest runner and doesn't have the greatest arm. But I think he should be given a chance just because of his bat.''

And he's in exclusive company atop the hit charts.

``To think who's up there in that list with me, it's a very big deal,'' Wright said. ``It's one of those things where it's hard to explain how you feel. You feel relieved that it's over. But I have to keep on going.''

Another former Hart player, infielder Tim Hutting, also is having a good season at Long Beach. He's hitting .385 with 13 RBI in 22 starts.

--Smart Allec: Cal State Northridge's dream season continues this week when the Big West Conference-champion Matadors open NCAA play on Friday.

Matadors catcher Jason Allec, a Highland High grad, knew eventually CSUN was going to return to its 1990's form when it was a regular postseason participant.

``This team has grown and blossomed into something really special,'' Allec said. ``We've got a lot of mature guys on this team and guys who know to carry themselves well. We knew were capable of good things. It's special to win the Big West title. Two years ago we were trying to get by.''

Allec has been a regular starter at catcher throughout his career with the Matadors. This season, he is hitting .329 with eight home runs and 44 RBI. He's been one of CSUN's team leaders.

He came to CSUN not sure if the program was ever going to recover from being dropped and then reinstated after the 1997 season. Now Allec has a chance to play in the NCAAs and make a bid at the College World Series.

``We bring out the best in each other,'' Allec said.

--A very Brady spring: Imagine if Brady Burrill (Valencia) would have stayed healthy all season. The junior catcher was one of Michigan State's top players despite missing most of the Big 10 Conference season with a broken bone in his throwing hand.

Burrill started 25 of the Spartans' 55 games. He hit .402 (37 of 92) with homers and 23 RBI while returning late in the season. He had a sacrifice fly against Penn State in his first game back on May 17.

--Billy ball: UCLA recruited Billy Susdorf (Hart) as an outfielder with a potent bat. That's where Susdorf's future seems to be but only after he showed coach Gary Adams he can be a reliable pitcher.

With the Bruins' bullpen struggling early in the season, Susdorf became the team's best short reliever. He went 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 14 appearances but saved three games.

Susdorf's emergence as a quality hitter was evident in Pacific-10 Conference play. In 10 starts, he batted .425 with a homer and nine RBI. It pretty much took Susdorf all season to get accustomed to his ever-changing role, which appears to be returning to offense as he heads into his sophomore season.

``I'm so used to starting every game, playing three games a week,'' he said. ``Then all of a sudden playing one out of 10 games. I started getting in a groove swinging. I just want to keep playing well.''

Another UCLA freshman, pitcher Kyle Wilson (Valencia), had an up- and-down season that began well, went sour in the middle and then finished with a flurry. Wilson shared the team lead with three saves and won two games in relief, on April 30 over UC Santa Barbara and May 14 against UC Riverside.

Wilson lost his only decision last Saturday, when he allowed two earned runs in 1 1/3 innings to eventual Pacific-10 Conference champion USC.

--Muletide: Hart graduate Jeff Whitcomb, a freshman at Central Missouri State University, helped the Mules into this week's NCAA Division II World Series in Montgomery, Ala.

Whitcomb, a pitcher, appeared in seven games for CMSU, which went 52-6 to advance to the World Series. He didn't get a decision, but he recorded two saves. His ERA was an impressive 2.89, allowing five hits and striking out nine in 9 1/3 innings.

--Miller time: Cal State L.A. freshman center fielder Mike Miller (Hart) was an honorable mention All-California Collegiate Athletic Association selection. He was the CCAA's top base stealer with 29 in 32 attempts during the regular season.

He hit .330 with 37 runs scored and played a strong defensive outfield position with 10 assists.

--Crimson tide: Harvard won the Ivy League championship and earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Regionals. Sophomore pitcher Jason Brown (Paraclete) appeared in eight games and started one for the Crimson.

Brown was 0-2 with a 5.93 ERA, allowing just one walk with eight strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.

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