DOUBLE-DUTY DELUXE; CAMARILLO GRAD BORCHARD EXCELLING AT STANFORD.

Byline: Chris Branam Daily News Staff Writer

Those who saw what Joe Borchard did this spring know the ``S'' on his baseball hat didn't necessarily stand for Stanford.

He hit home runs as a baseball player. He threw for touchdowns as a football player. For three weeks, Borchard participated in spring-football practice while also starting in left field for the Cardinal baseball team.

There have been many two-sport standouts at Stanford - John Elway is one excellent example - but none in recent memory played football and baseball so well over a short stretch better than Borchard, who was a multisport standout at Camarillo High.

During spring football, Borchard batted .475 (19 for 40) with two homers and 14 RBI.

``You cannot realize how special that is,'' said Bill Diedrick, Stanford's offensive coordinator. ``One Friday he runs a two-minute drill and scores a touchdown. I give him a high-five as he's running off and I told him, `Now go out and get a couple hits.' ''

Borchard probably did. He is hitting .393 with nine homers and 50 RBI for the fifth-ranked Cardinal, who won the Pac-10.

Borchard doesn't compare himself to Elway, who had the physical ability to play in the major leagues. He's not Stanford's No. 1 quarterback - Todd Husak is the returning starter - but even Borchard would have to admit he is one of the premier two-sport college athletes in the nation.

He won't say it, though. His extreme humility might be his only flaw.

``I don't think I do anything any different than anyone else,'' Borchard said. ``Sure I play football and baseball and most people don't play two sports. It's just a matter of budgeting my time.''

Borchard doesn't want to sound cocky. That doesn't surprise Diedrick, who said Borchard played so well in football practice last August he almost became the Cardinal's starting quarterback.

``No question, he has the ability to play both sports at the next level,'' he said.

Borchard's two-sport career at Stanford can be defined by two games.

Last September, he came off the bench late in the final minute against North Carolina and scrambled for 41 yards to set up Kevin Miller's 20-yard game-winning field goal.

A month ago, Borchard had a career baseball day against USC - five hits and seven RBI. Even though Stanford lost 17-15, Cardinal baseball coach Mark Marquess definitely remembers the moment.

``We had lost an eight-run lead and he comes back the very next inning and hits a three-run homer,'' Marquess said. ``It was truly amazing, considering the importance of the game and the timing.''

Time is on Borchard's side. There are 12 hours of daylight, right?

When he was pulling double duty in April, Borchard's weekday schedule went as follows: From 9 a.m. to noon he was in class (he is a history major). He grabbed lunch, then went to baseball practice for an hour before leaving for 2 o'clock football meetings. Football practice started at 4 p.m. and ended in the early evening.

On baseball game days, he left football practice early.

``(Borchard's) makeup is great,'' Marquess said. ``He plays hard all the time. You can't work him hard enough.

``He probably wouldn't know what to do if he had some free time,'' he said.

In his senior year at Camarillo, Borchard carried the Scorpions to the Southern Section Division III football championship. The year before, Camarillo had won one game. The year after the championship season, the Scorpions won one game.

``(Borchard) is a tough competitor who really wants to win,'' Marquess said. ``Players around him play better.''

Borchard was a member of the Daily News' All-Star baseball and football teams as a senior. He was a prized baseball prospect who wanted a $400,000 signing bonus if he was drafted - which he was, by the Baltimore Orioles in the 20th round.

``He had power from both sides of the plate,'' said Dennis Lieberthal, a scout for the Detroit Tigers who is based in Ventura County. ``I knew he would hit. The only question was where he was going to play. In high school, he wasn't a fast runner. He had an average arm.''

Apparently, Borchard has improved defensively. Marquess said Borchard's arm is a ``cannon.''

Right now, Borchard is concentrating on leading Stanford to the College World Series. He said he feels as though he just arrived in Palo Alto; he really can't believe he'll be a junior next year (he redshirted his freshman year in football and will only be a sophomore).

A year from now, Borchard might be forced to choose baseball over football. His career arc indicates he might be a possible first or second-round draft choice in the major-league draft.

Which way will you go, Joe?

``That's the big question,'' he said. ``It's too early to tell you. I have a definite role on the baseball team. With football, I'll get time here and I'll get time there. I guess you could say I'll talk to the (baseball) scouts and see what they say.''

TWO-SPORT STAR

A look at the highlights from Joe Borchard's two-year career at Stanford:

FOOTBALL

Appeared in seven games in 1998, completing 21 of 48 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns. Scrambled for 41 yards in the last minute against North Carolina, setting up a game-winning field goal. It was Stanford's longest run from scrimmage in '98.

Participated in spring-football practice in April and played well enough to earn the backup spot behind Todd Husak.

BASEBALL

Leads the Cardinal with .393 batting average to go with nine homers and 50 RBI. Named sophomore All-American by Baseball America.

Named freshman All-American by Baseball America after hitting .330 with 10 homers and 55 RBI in '98.

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

PHOTO (Color) Joe Borchard hit .475 for the Cardinal baseball team during spring football practice.

Evan Yee/Daily News

BOX: TWO-SPORT STAR (see text)