  The sensitivity of semi-hard (p_\perp < 10 GeV) hadron production to parton
energy loss in high energy nuclear collisions is studied via the HIJING1.35
model. We test the model on recent WA98 data on 160 AGeV Pb+Pb -> pi^0 up to 4
GeV/c and while these data are reproduced, the results depends sensitively on
the model of the Cronin effect. At (RHIC) collider energies (s^1/2 > 200 AGeV),
on the other hand, semi-hard hadron production becomes insensitive to the above
model and is thus expected to be a cleaner probe of jet quenching signature
associated with non-Abelian radiative energy loss.
