April 15, 2003
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THIS WEEK
San Diego State begins the week with a contest against cross-town rival University of San Diego on Tuesday, April 15, at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Aztecs will then travel to Salt Lake City for a three-game Mountain West Conference series against Utah. SDSU will face the Utes on Thursday (April 17), Friday (April 18) and Saturday (April 19) at Franklin Covey Field with all three games slated to start at noon (MDT).
This will be the second of three consecutive weekend conference road series for the Aztecs, who played at New Mexico last week and travel to Air Force next week.
THROUGH THE YEARS
This year marks the 65th season of Aztec baseball since the sport was elevated to major status in 1936. The school did not field varsity teams from 1943 to 1945.
SDSU's all-time record entering the week (since 1936) stands at 1983-1194-37 (.623).
Since 1936, the program has had only four head coaches: Charlie Smith (1936-64), Lyle Olson (1965-71), Jim Dietz (1972-2002) and Tony Gwynn (present).
SERIES RECORDS
San Diego State leads the series with University of San Diego 53-35-2. Last season, the teams spilt their season series, with each winning on the opponents' home field. The Aztecs and Toreros have split their last six meetings with two of the most recent four encounters going extra innings.
San Diego State's all-time record against Utah stands at 70-15 in a series that began during the 1964 season. The teams were both members of the Western Athletic Conference together from 1979 to 1999. Since the 2000 campaign when both schools joined the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs have a 14-8 mark vs. the Utes including a victory in the 2001 conference tournament.
SDSU won two of the three games played at Tony Gwynn Stadium last month with the loss coming in 11 innings in the series finale. Last season, San Diego State was 2-4 vs. Utah, losing two of three games in both the home and away series.
SCOUTING THE TOREROS
University of San Diego enters the week with an overall record of 19-23 (9-9 West Coast Conference) after dropping two of three at Santa Clara last weekend. The Toreros have lost five of their last seven, but among their wins during that span was a victory at USC last Tuesday.
USD is led offensively by right fielder Joey Prast (.365, 19 2B, 8 HR, 42 RBI), first baseman Lucas Wennersten (.352, 11 2B, 34 RBI) and center fielder Tony Perez (.331, 44 runs, 4 HR, 18 RBI). USD's team batting average stands at .286. Prast was named the MVP at the Clash of the Conferences tournament earlier this season, an event in which SDSU also participated.
The Toreros expect to start right-hander Sean Warlop (3-3, 6.00) on Tuesday. Tony Perez, who also starts in center field, is USD's top relief pitcher with seven saves and a 5.02 earned run average. The team ERA is 5.35.
SCOUTING THE UTES
Utah, which has won five of its last seven contests, enters the series vs. SDSU with an overall record of 17-18 and 5-9 in the Mountain West Conference. The Utes lost two of three at home vs. league-leading UNLV last weekend.
The Utes' top hitters include outfielder Matt Ciaramella (.382, 12 2B, 27 RBI), catcher Wick Udy (.343, 15 runs, 11 RBI) and designated hitter Brett Sundberg (.333, 5 HR, 19 RBI). First baseman Jake Jordison leads Utah with 10 home runs and 30 RBI. As a team, the Utes are hitting .300.
The Utes' pitching rotation for the weekend is expected to be:
Th: Clay Westmoreland (RHP, 3-3, 6.23)Fri: Doug Mackay (RHP, 4-2, 5.47)Sat: Sean Overholt (RHP, 0-5, 6.80)Utah's top relief pitcher is sophomore Brady Martinez (2-1, 1.27, seven saves). The team ERA is 5.67.
MOST RECENTLY
San Diego State dropped two of three Mountain West Conference contests at New Mexico last weekend.
In game one, the Aztecs came from three runs down with four in the ninth to defeat the Lobos, 10-9. Garrett Cook's two-out single scored the tying run, with the winning run coming home on a throwing error committed on the same play. Drew Jenson picked up his team-leading fifth win of the season, throwing the final five innings in relief of starter Mike Moat.
On Saturday, SDSU found itself down 14-3 after seven innings, but fought back with seven runs in the eighth and had a ninth-inning rally cut short by a close call at the plate. Outfielder Landon Burt and catcher Josh Allen both had four hits on the day while Anthony Gwynn and Jon Stephens accounted for three RBI apiece.
In the series finale, the Aztecs saw UNM tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, then score the winning run one inning later in a 5-4 loss to the Lobos. Burt, Cook and Stephens had two hits each for the Aztecs with the former two recording a pair of doubles each.
HEAD COACH TONY GWYNN
Tony Gwynn was hired as San Diego State's head baseball coach on September 20, 2001. Last year he served as a volunteer coach for the Aztecs under Jim Dietz, who retired at the end of the 2002 season.
A former Aztec who played baseball at San Diego State from 1979 to 1981, Gwynn was a two-time all-American outfielder who finished his SDSU career with a .398 batting average. He also played basketball for four years at San Diego State, and still holds the school's single-game, season and career assist records.
Gwynn concluded a 20-year major league career with the San Diego Padres in 2001. With a career batting average of .338, he won eight National League batting titles, five Gold Gloves, and made 15 appearances in the annual All-Star Game.
AZTEC PITCHING ROTATION
SDSU's pitching rotation for this week is expected to be as follows:
Tues. - Drew Jenson (LHP, 5-1, 1.96)Fri. - Mike Moat (RHP, 3-3, 3.46)Sat. - Ben Coon (LHP, 3-3, 5.60)Sun. - Joe Carque (RHP, 3-2, 4.57)
STONARD SUSPENDED
Second baseman Peter Stonard, a transfer from Alabama who had started the first 34 games of the season for the Aztecs, was suspended for the remainder of the year due to violation of team rules.
The junior from St. Louis was hitting .368 with nine doubles, 28 runs scored and 29 RBI at the time of his suspension.
WORKING OVERTIME
Four of San Diego State's last eight contests have gone to extra innings with the Aztecs winning two of those four games.
On the year, SDSU has played six extra-inning affairs and is 2-4 in those contests.
Three of the team's six conference losses have come in extra-inning games.
The five extra-inning games this season is the most for an Aztec squad since the 1996 campaign when it had nine.
JENSON PITCHING TOUGH
Junior lefty Drew Jenson, who has made nine relief appearances this season, leads the SDSU pitching staff in wins with five.
He notched first career save as an Aztec in the team's 2-1 win over Brigham Young on April 3, throwing the final 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and striking out three.
In his last three relief appearances, he has allowed two earned runs and struck out 13 over 12 innings while walking four.
His earned run average now stands at 1.96 this season.
WILSON STEPS UP
Junior Ryan Wilson was called upon last weekend to take over as the starter at second base.
He responded by going 6-for-12 (.500) in three games vs. New Mexico with a double, RBI and five runs scored.
Wilson is currently on a six-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .409 (9-for-22).
CARQUE IN CONTROL
Senior right-hander Joe Carque has had two if his best outing of the season in his last two starts.
In those two contests (vs. Brigham Young and at New Mexico), he has gone a total of 15.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts. His ERA in those two games is 2.93.
In his last six appearances, he has walked six and struck out 18.
LINDSEY PROVIDES RELIEF
Freshman Ronnie Lindsey has been superb out of the bullpen over the past six weeks as one of SDSU's most effective relievers.
In his last eight appearances covering 21.1 innings, he has allowed five earned runs and has struck out 29.
His nine strikeouts in 6.2 against UNLV on March 30 was a career high for the first-year Aztec from Point Loma HS.
BURT CONTINUES SOLID PLAY
Junior outfielder Landon Burt went 7-for-12 (.583) in last weekend's three games at New Mexico. In those contests, he had three doubles and five runs batted in.
He leads the team in hitting with a .370 average overall as well as in league play where he is batting .449.
He has 18 walks and 10 strikeouts, and is the only Aztec to have walked more times than struck out this season. His on-base percentage is a team-leading .492 in all games and .556 in league contests.
STEPHENS COMING BACK
Senior Jon Stephens enjoyed his best weekend at the plate since returning from the shoulder surgery that he underwent in early February.
At New Mexico last weekend, he went 6-for-14 (.429) with a home run, four runs scored and three RBI.
Stephens has been limited to action as a designated hitter since he came back during the Air Force series March 21-23.
COOK DOUBLES UP
Senior infielder Garrett Cook appears to have a knack for hitting doubles. Of his 18 hits this season, 11 have been two-baggers.
His 11 doubles makes him the team leader even though he has appeared in only 26 games (18 starts) this season.
Cook has also been solid defensively while playing both first and third base. He has committed just one error this season (while at third) and is fielding .991 on the year.
ALLEN TIES MARK
Catcher Josh Allen tied the SDSU record (held by many) for doubles in a game when he hit three in last Saturday's contest at New Mexico.
Coincidentally, the last SDSU player to accomplish the feat was Josh Hill, who had three two-baggers at New Mexico during the 2001 season.
Allen, who has appeared in 20 games (10 starts) this season, ranks second on the team with 10 doubles.
His four hits last Saturday at UNM raised his batting average to .344.
GUERRERO GETS ON
Freshman James Guerrero continues to impress at the plate in his first season at SDSU. He has reached base safely (either via a hit or base on balls) in 35 of the 36 games in which he has played with the exception of the March 28 contest at UNLV.
His 29 walks leads the team and is 11 more than the next highest individual total. His season on-base percentage stands at .434.
Guerrero is also proving himself as a hitter in his first year at SDSU, batting .311 with eight doubles, three triples, two homers and a team-leading 30 runs batted in. In addition, he is tied for first on the squad with 31 runs scored.
He is batting .404 (19-for-47) with runners in scoring position and has recorded 12 two-out RBIs this season.
GWYNN FOR THE DEFENSE
Junior Anthony Gwynn has been a defensive standout in center this season for the Aztecs. Twice at UNLV (three weeks ago) he made spectacular catches to rob the Rebels of a pair of hits and at least four runs. Both catches were full out diving grabs, one in right center and one in left center on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
He has hit safely in each of SDSU's last six games (9-for-27 with four doubles, five runs scored and four RBI.
He leads the team in steals with 19 and is tied for the lead in runs scored with 31.
TEAM LEAGUE LEADERS
San Diego State leads the conference in earned run average for all games at 4.87. However, they are sixth in team batting average at .283.
Overall, the Aztecs are the team leader in walks with 159 and second in triples with 18.
In MWC games only, SDSU ranks second in team ERA (4.70) and third in batting average (.327).
San Diego State tops the conference (MWC contests only) walks with 67. It is second in doubles (40) and triples (8).
INDIVIDUAL LEAGUE LEADERS
Several Aztecs appear among the individual conference leaders in various categories.
Mike Moat (3.46) ranks first in overall earned run average while Joe Carque (4.57) is fifth. James Guerrero is second in walks (29) while Anthony Gwynn holds the lead in steals (19).
In MWC games only, Landon Burt's .449 average is second best in the MWC. Drew Jenson's 2.16 earned run in league contests is tops among conference pitchers. Other MWC-game leaders include Guerrero in walks (14) and sacrifice flies (3), and Gwynn in steals (7). Burt's .556 on-base percentage ties him for the league lead in that category as well.
TONY GWYNN STADIUM
The Aztecs' home facility has been ranked 17th in the nation in a poll of collegiate coaches conducted by Baseball America.
It ranks as the fourth-best in the western U.S. behind stadiums at Stanford, Arizona State and Hawaii.
Tony Gwynn Stadium was ranked 15th in a poll of college baseball Sports Information Directors. Again, the park was fourth in the west, this time behind Hawaii, Stanford and Fresno State.
Since the facility opened for the 1997 season, San Diego State's record there stands at 122-71 (.632).
PLAYER NOTES
Jake McLintock leads the Aztecs with 15 multiple-hit games as well as in multiple-RBI contests with seven.
The Aztecs have had four-hit games by three players this season: Jordan Swaydan, Landon Burt and Josh Allen.
Mike Moat has walked only one batter while striking out 17 in his last 24.2 innings.
Freshman starting pitcher Ben Coon has walked only 10 batters this season while striking out 47 in 54.2 innings.
Anthony Gwynn is the only Aztec to have started all 37 games this season.
Josh Allen has SDSU's current longest hitting streak at eight games.
After hitting just two homers in his first two seasons as an Aztec, Rielly Embrey has assumed the team home run lead with five this season.
Shortstop James Guerrero did not play last Sunday at New Mexico after bruising his shoulder diving for a pop fly into short center field. He is expected to be back in the starting lineup this week.
Senior pitcher David Levy made his third appearance of the season last Saturday at New Mexico, throwing one scoreless inning. His other two outings were scoreless relief innings in each of SDSU's games vs. Long Beach State.
Aztec pinch hitters are 6-for-24 (.250) this season. Landon Burt is 2-for-3 in a pinch-hitting role while Rielly Embrey, James Guerrero, Garrett Cook and Josh Allen have all recorded hits in pinch-hitting appearances.
TEAM NOTES
Over their last five contests, the Aztecs are hitting .340 (64-for-188) with 17 doubles. The team has recorded at least three doubles in each of those games.
In its last 12 games, the Aztec pitching staff has struck out 92 and walked only 26.
The Aztecs have been successful on 14-of-17 stolen base attempts in conference play.
SDSU has recorded 18 triples this season compared to just four by opponents. In nine league games, the Aztecs have eight three-baggers to one by foes.
The Aztecs have executed only 11 sacrifice bunts this season, with four of those coming last weekend at New Mexico. The record for fewest in a season (since SDSU joined Division I in 1969) is 26 on three occasions (1980, 1981, 1989).
San Diego State has committed only five errors in its last seven games for a .984 fielding percentage over that span. The Aztecs have not put together back-to-back errorless games this season.
ON DECK
Following an away contest at University of San Diego on Tuesday (April 22 at 3:00 p.m.), San Diego State continues its league travels next weekend when it visits Colorado Springs to take on Air Force in a three-game series.
The series was originally scheduled to be played in San Diego, but was changed when weather conditions forced the Falcons to play at Tony Gwynn Stadium during the weekend of March 21-23.
GAMES ADDED
Due to rainouts earlier in the season, San Diego State has added a pair of games with UC Riverside
SDSU will visit UCR on Tuesday, April 29, with the Highlanders coming to Tony Gwynn Stadium on Tuesday (May 6). Start time for both contests is 6:00 p.m.