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May 14, 2002
THIS WEEK
San Diego State finishes up its 2002 regular season with a three-game Mountain West Conference series at UNLV beginning on Thursday, May 16 with game time set for 6:30 p.m. (PDT).
The series continues on Friday (May 17) at 6:30 and concludes on Saturday (May 18) at 2:00 p.m.
SERIES RECORD
San Diego State leads the series with UNLV, 36-18. The teams first met in 1978 and were members of the Western Athletic Conference prior to the formation of the Mountain West Conference.
The series record includes SDSU's three-game sweep of the Rebels in San Diego during the weekend of April 12-14. The Aztecs' all-time record at UNLV's home field stands at 18-9.
Last season, the Aztecs won six of the seven meetings between the teams including three at UNLV. Two years ago, it was UNLV winning five of seven meetings as the Aztecs won once at home and once at Las Vegas in the opening round of the MWC tournament.
SCOUTING THE REBELS
UNLV enters the weekend with an overall record of 27-26 and 12-15 in the Mountain West Conference. The Rebels currently sit in fifth place and can finish anywhere from third to sixth in the final standings.
The Rebels are led offensively by outfielders Joe Wickman (.423, 11 2B, 30 RBI) and Eric Nielsen (.349, 11 2B, 45 RBI) along with designated hitter David Trujillo (.335, 12 HR, 60 RBI). As a team, UNLV is hitting .310.
UNLV's pitching rotation for the weekend series includes Robbie Van (LHP, 6-5, 5.20), Courtney Hall (RHP, 4-5, 5.82) and either Jared Bonnell (RHP, 4-5, 7.17) or Giovanni Pupo (LHP, 2-3, 6.59). The Lobos' top relievers are Joe Maruffi (2-0, 3 saves, 5.26) and Jeremy Weinberg (1-4, 3 saves, 4.96). The team earned run average is 6.17.
SDSU ROTATION
The Aztecs pitching rotation this weekend will have Rory Shortell (7-5, 3.92) starting the first game of the series on Thursday followed by Chris Dunwell (8-3, 3.68) on Friday. Sunday's starter will likely be either Joe Carque (7-3, 5.53) or Rob Harrand (4-1, 4.70).
AZTECS CLINCH TITLE
With their win at New Mexico this past Sunday, the Aztecs clinched the regular-season Mountain West Conference title for the first time in the three-year existence of the league.
It is the first regular-season baseball championship for San Diego State since the 1990 season when they finished first in the eight-team Western Athletic Conference. SDSU also won the four-team double elimination conference tournament that season
NUMBER-ONE SEED
By virtue of winning the regular season championship, San Diego State will be the number-one seed at the league's postseason tourney. The winner of that event receives the MWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals.
At this time, the only sure thing is that SDSU will open the tournament against the number-six seed on Wednesday, May 22, at 11:00 a.m. (MDT) at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo, Utah.
The Aztecs will face either UNLV or New Mexico in their opening-round contest.
As the top seed, San Diego State will be the home team in each of its games during the tourney.
LET THE ODYSSEY BEGIN
The Aztec baseball team will be on the road for at least the next 10 and possibly the next 12 days for the UNLV series followed by the conference tournament at Brigham Young University in Provo.
The team will depart mid-morning on Wednesday (May 15) for UNLV, practice that evening, then play three games against the Rebels.
After a Sunday morning practice, the team will board the bus and travel to Provo to begin preparations for the MWC Tournament that begins Wednesday. The Aztecs will then bus home after competing in the tournament.
MOST RECENTLY
San Diego State went to New Mexico knowing it needed a pair of wins to clinch the league title, and it accomplished its objective.
The Aztecs dropped the first game of the series last Friday, 6-5, as they were unable to hold onto a one-run lead late in the contest. Carlo Cota and Taber Lee had two hits apiece, but SDSU was unable to muster a sustained offensive attack against Lobo hurler James Vermilyea. Rory Shortell (7-5) was the hard luck loser as an unearned run late in the game proved his undoing.
SDSU came out on Saturday and raced out to a 16-5 lead in the fifth, then hung on in blustery conditions to win, 21-15. Jon Stephens had a single, double and homer with seven RBI's to lead the Aztec offense. All nine Aztec starters had at least one hit and eight of them scored one run or more. Despite giving up 10 runs (four earned), SDSU starter Chris Dunwell picked up the win to improve to 8-3.
Sunday's game, played in high winds for the third straight day, was a back and forth affair that saw five lead changes before the Aztecs took control over the final three innings and went on to a 15-11 victory. Carlo Cota's two-run triple in the seventh brought the Aztecs back from a 10-9 deficit, with Cota scoring later in the frame to give his team a 12-10 advantage. UNM got a run back in the bottom of the inning, but SDSU restored its two-run advantage with a single marker in the eighth. Anthony Gwynn's two-run homer in the ninth, his first of the year, provided the final margin as Royce Ring closed out the Lobos in the bottom of the inning as Joe Carque got the win (7-3).
COACH JIM DIETZ
Aztec head coach Jim Dietz is in his 31st season at San Diego State, where he has compiled a career record of 1226-747-18 (.620). His win total ranks seventh among active Division I coaches. He picked up his 1200th career victory in the 11-2 win over Southern Utah on March 1.
He was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame in a ceremony that took place at the organization's annual convention in Orlando on January 4.
Dietz has announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2002 campaign. He will be succeeded by former Aztec and San Diego Padre Tony Gwynn, who is serving as a volunteer assistant coach this season.
AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS
In this week's NCAA statistics, which are published each Tuesday, Aztec junior Royce Ring ranks second in the nation in saves with 15 despite not having a save opportunity the past two weeks.
The other stat where SDSU ranks among the national leaders is defense, where its .969 fielding percentage ranks 15th.
MWC TEAM RANKINGS
The Aztecs rank first in the conference in team earned run average and fielding percentage heading into the weekend.
The team's 4.40 ERA is almost 1.6 runs better than number-two Utah (5.98). SDSU's fielding percentage of .969 leads UNLV (.963) by six points.
San Diego State's team batting average of .326 is third in the MWC behind New Mexico (.347) and Air Force (.326).
MWC INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
SDSU has three players ranked among the top 15 in the conference in batting average: junior Jon Stephens (8th at .377), junior Taber Lee (10th at .372), and freshman Jake McLintock (11th at .367).
Three Aztecs pitchers are among the league's top 10 in earned run average: Chris Dunwell (2nd at 3.68), Rory Shortell (3rd at 3.92), and Joe Carque (6th at 5.53).
Three players are also ranked first in individual categories this week. Royce Ring leads the MWC with 15 saves while Anthony Gwynn's eight sacrifice bunts are also tops in the conference. Dunwell's .248 opponent batting average is also best in the league.
ONE RECORD BROKEN, ONE TIED
After being hit by pitch in each of the three games at New Mexico, junior Jon Stephens has established a new Aztec record with a total of 11 beanings this season. The old record of 10 was set by Mike Whatley during the 1996 campaign.
In addition, outfielder Josh Hill tied an Aztec record with three doubles in Sunday's game. The record is held by several players and was most recently accomplished by freshman Jake McLintock. Ironically enough, McLintock's three doubles came in SDSU's game against New Mexico on April 7 of this year.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
A total of five San Diego State players have won Mountain West Conference Player of the Week (3) and Pitcher of the Week (2) this season.
That quintet includes Players of the Week Chad Corona (Feb. 4), Taber Lee (March 25) and Rielly Embrey (April 22) plus Pitchers of the Week Joe Carque (Feb. 18) and Chris Dunwell (March 18).
In addition, Corona was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association National Player of the Week after the team's first series of the year at Hawaii-Hilo.
LEE CONTINUES OFFENSIVE SURGE
Junior shortstop Taber Lee has hit safely in five straight games and 12 of San Diego State's last 13 games. Over that 13-game span he is batting .528 (28-for-53) with 17 runs scored, 12 runs batted in, seven doubles and 12 walks.
His on-base percentage during the past 13 contests is .627.
Lee, who was hitting .278 after SDSU's first 22 games, is now batting .372, second-best on the squad. His average in conference play is .432 with 30 runs scored and 21 RBIs in 27 games.
COTA STREAKING
Carlo Cota is on a 10-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 13 of San Diego State's last 14 games.
The senior from Calexico has scored a run in each of the team's last 12 games.
He leads the team in doubles (24) and triples (5), and is tied for the team hits lead with 80. He is second in RBI (44) and third in walks (29).
His doubles total ranks second in the conference this week as well and is the third-most two-baggers in a season by an Aztec. The SDSU record is 31 set by both Chris Gwynn and Terry Jones during eth 1984 season when SDSU played 89 games.
GWYNN HEATS UP
Sophomore center fielder Anthony Gwynn has an eight-game hitting streak going during which he is batting .412 (14-for-34) with 11 runs scored, seven RBI, a double, three triples and a home run.
He has recorded at least one RBI in each of the team's last five games.
Gwynn hit his first career home run in the finale at New Mexico last Sunday, a two-run homer in the ninth that gave the Aztecs a four-run cushion.
RING 'EM UP
Royce Ring has recorded 15 saves this year, a number that is second in the nation this week. He has now eclipsed the school mark for saves in a season. The former record was set by Curtis Smith during the 1979 season.
He has a career total of 24 saves, bettering the school record of 17 held by former Baltimore Oriole hurler Mark Williamson (1981-82).
Ring has accumulated 45 strikeouts in his 33.1 innings this season (30 appearances). Opponents are hitting just .208 against him this season and his ERA stands at 2.16.
He gave up four earned runs last Saturday at New Mexico in a game played in 35-45 mph winds. That doubled his earned run total for the season. Discounting that contest, his season ERA would be 1.13.
STEPHENS STANDS OUT
Jon Stephens came close to setting an Aztec single-game record with seven runs batted in last Saturday in the 21-15 win at New Mexico. The school mark for RBI in a game is eight.
Over the final two games last weekend, the junior from Tustin went 7-for-11 with five runs scored, two doubles and a home run.
Stephens' .377 batting average is the best among the Aztec regulars this week. He leads the team in walks with 33 and has an on-base percentage of .478.
He is fielding .996 at first base with just two errors in 469 chances. He has also appeared in three games at third base this past week, the position he has played throughout most of his baseball career.
HARTSHORN PROVIDING RELIEF
Junior right-hander Chris Hartshorn has become one of SDSU's top middle relief pitchers this season.
In his last 15 appearances covering 21 innings, he has allowed two earned runs (0.86 ERA) while striking out 23 and walking five. He has lowered his earned run average this spring to 2.14.
Hartshorn picked up his first career save in San Diego State's victory over UC Riverside on April 9 and his first win of the year in the 7-6 victory over Brigham Young on April 20.
DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
The Aztecs' defense has been one of the team's strong points during the 2002 campaign. The team's fielding percentage stands at .969 entering the week.
The school record for defensive percentage is .966, set during the 1996 campaign. The exact percentage that year was .96560 while the current squad is sporting a .9692 fielding percentage.
KER-PLUNK
After hitting three batters last weekend, SDSU pitchers have tied the school mark for hit batters in a season with 60. That mark was set by the 2000 squad over the course of 60 contests.
San Diego State will likely set a new mark in the category as it has at least five games remaining (series vs. UNLV plus a minimum of two contests at the MWC Tournament).
The Aztecs have hit three or more batters in a game five times this year with a high of four coming at Loyola Marymount on Feb. 26.
ATTENDANCE UP
San Diego State's final attendance average at home games this season was 803 (27 dates), the highest since the stadium opened in 1997.
The Aztecs played before six home crowds of 1,000 fans or more this season. Four of the 10 highest crowds at the facility have come this year.
AZTEC PLAYER NOTES
Jake McLintock has come to the plate 28 times with a runner on third and less than two outs, and has driven in the runner on 26 occasions for a .929 percentage.
McLintock has hit safely in six of SDSU's last seven games. Over that span he is 14-for-33 (.424) with 12 RBI, seven runs scored, a double, triple and two home runs.
Reserve outfielder Landon Burt picked up a hit in each of the three games at New Mexico last weekend and has raised his batting average to .311.
Josh Hill has hit safely in five of his last six games, going 9-for-21 (.429) over that span with four runs, six RBI and five doubles.
Catcher Brian Manfred has also hit safely in five of SDSU's last six contests. In those games he is hitting .476 (10-for-21) with four runs and six RBI. He has driven in at least one run in each of SDSU's last five games.
Manfred is batting .479 with runners in scoring position, the best average on the squad.
Manfred has thrown out 20 runners attempting to steal this season, ranking third in the MWC in that category. He led the conference in that statistic last season, but missed a month of the 2002 campaign with a broken bone in his hand.
Second baseman Carlo Cota has 25 multiple-hit games this season, including seven three-hits efforts and one four-hit contest.
Anthony Gwynn and Taber Lee have each recorded 22 multiple-hit efforts. Cota has 12 multiple-RBI games while Taber Lee has 11.
The team's longest current hitting streaks are 10 games by Carlo Cota and eight games by Anthony Gwynn.
AZTEC TEAM NOTES
San Diego State has turned 53 double plays this season after recording a total of 37 during the 2001 campaign.
The Aztecs have hit 23 triples this season with 25 home runs. The last time SDSU had more triples than homers was in 1991 when they recorded 28 triples while hitting just 13 home runs.
The team's 23 triples are the most since the 1998 season when they hit 34.
The Aztecs' team offensive total of 256 walks is also the most since 1994 when they finished with 277 bases on balls.
The Aztecs have been in double figures in hits in 34 of their 58 games (and seven of their last nine) and in doubles figures in runs on 15 occasions.
SDSU is averaging 7.3 runs and 11.5 hits a game compared to their opponents' 5.2 runs and 8.9 hits per contest.
SCHOOL RECORDS
Aztec players have set or tied two single game, two season, and three career records during the 2002 campaign.
Those records are as follows:
Single game
Doubles - 3 by Jake McLintock vs. New Mexico, 4/7/02
and Josh Hill vs. New Mexico, 5/12/02
Triples - 2 by Riley Barrett vs. Southern Utah, 3/2/02 (tied)
Season
Hit batters - 16 by Rory Shortell (tied)
Saves - 15 Royce Ring
Career
Sac Flies - 13 by Carlo Cota (tied)
Hit By Pitch - 11 by Jon Stephens
Hit Batters - 33 by Rory Shortell
Saves - 24 by Royce Ring
The following have recorded totals that rank among the single-season top 10s: Doubles: 24 Carlo Cota (3rd)
Hit By Pitch - 8 by Taber Lee (tied 6th)
Sac Flies: 9 by Jake McLintock (2nd)
Also moving into the San Diego State career top 10s are:
Hit By Pitch: 13 by Taber Lee (tied 5th)
Pitching Starts: 36 by Rory Shortell (tied 7th)
ON DECK
Up next for the Aztecs is the Mountain Western Conference Tournament to be hosted by Brigham Young May 22-25.
All six teams in the league will participate in the double elimination event.
All of San Diego State's games at the tourney can be heard live on the Internet at www.goaztecs.com with Alan Horton calling the play-by-play.