MALIBU TEAM BIDS FOR TITLE.

Byline: CHRIS COCOLES College Baseball 

Three years later, Dan Haren awaits a baseball rite: rushing the field after a milestone win.

``We've been dogpiled on three times,'' the Pepperdine junior pitcher/designated hitter said.

The Waves watched USC (in a 1999 NCAA Regional championship game) and Loyola Marymount (1999 and 2000 West Coast Conference championship series) celebrate. Pepperdine is tired of frowns in its dugout while opponents frolic in the other.

``We're looking for four dogpiles this year. One of them is win (this weekend),'' said Haren, referring to the WCC championship series against Gonzaga in Malibu.

``One after regionals, one after super regionals and in Omaha.''

Haren's visions are feasible. Pepperdine's starting rotation is formidable, its defense sound and lineup loaded with four player batting .348 or higher.

In theory, those qualifications, a 39-15 record, No. 11 ranking and WCC West Division title are worthy of an NCAA Regional bid should 26-25 Gonzaga pull an upset in the best-of-three series.

Pepperdine felt slighted when the selection committee turned away the WCC runner-up's 36-23 mark in 2000.

``With a 40-win season, we can probably get in a regional somewhere,'' shortstop Tony Garcia said. ``We're going into the weekend not expecting that. We're expecting to get snubbed. We have to win to get in.''

Pepperdine's failure to overcome three-time WCC champion Loyola Marymount should keep the team focused and not looking ahead to super regional and College World Series aspirations.

The bulk of a talented junior class - Haren, Tony Garcia, Danny Garcia, Noah Lowry, Woody Cliffords - is likely bound for professional baseball this summer. There is no wait until next year approach to fall back on.

Haren, for one, is likely to go in the first 10 rounds of next month's Major League Baseball draft and wants that elusive dogpile before checking out.

--Closing time? Greg Ramirez threw six shutout innings Sunday in Pepperdine's 8-0 win over Portland.

Jay Adams, the usual No. 3 starter, was effective in short relief the previous day. They give Waves coach Frank Sanchez flexibility at a good time.

Adams, whose 305 1/3 career innings ranks eighth in school history, threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings and earned a 3-2 win over Portland.

Adams throws closer stuff and could continue that role in the postseason. Ramirez (4-3), a sophomore from Rio Mesa High of Oxnard, could follow Haren (10-3, 2.41) and Lowry (13-1, 1.62) in the rotation.

``Greg has been more effective as a starter,'' Sanchez said. ``Jay's willing to take the ball at any capacity.''

--Regionals update: Cal and Arizona State seem like safe bets to join regional hosts USC and Stanford from the Pac-10. Oregon State is on the bubble but can play its way in by beating the Trojans twice.

The Big West sets itself up for a frantic finish. Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State are contending for the conference title. All should be playoff bound.

Fresno State, which took two of three from probable WAC champion Rice, and streaking San Jose State meet this weekend in what may amount to an NCAA play-in series.

--Cardinal crusher: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo junior outfielder Bryan Gant loves to hit against Stanford.

The teams played twice this year and Gant (Chatsworth) went 7 for 10 with an RBI and two runs scored. In six career Stanford games, Gant is hitting .600 (15 for 25).

``After (last Tuesday's game), one of the Stanford assistant coaches told Bryan, 'We're never going to get you out,' '' Gant's father Dale said.

--Check swings: The only stunner when the NCAA announced 16 regional hosts was the tradition-rich Big 12 Conference's lack of respect.

Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas and Nebraska submitted bids. But only the Cornhuskers were named hosts.

``Honestly, I'm not surprised,'' Baylor coach Steve Smith told the Waco Tribune-Herald. ``None of (the Big 12 schools) played well enough to lock up a host berth.''

UCLA (Tom Canales) and USC (Rik Currier) took Pac-10 player and pitcher of the week awards, respectively. ...

An intriguing dilemma is brewing at Brigham Young. The Mountain West leader can earn an automatic bid into the field of 64 by winning the conference tournament in San Diego.

For religious reasons, the school won't compete in athletic events on Sundays. Regionals are scheduled for a Friday-Sunday format, so BYU will request a site willing to open play a day earlier to accommodate it.

A USC spokesperson said changing its schedule from a Friday to a Thursday opener wouldn't be a popular choice from an attendance standpoint. A Friday-night game involving the Trojans would surely draw more than Thursday. ...

UCLA designated hitter Brian Baron (Hart High of Newhall) has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the Rotary Smith Award, given each summer to the nation's top college baseball player.