April 25, 2005
Complete Release and Season Statistics in PDF Format
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THIS WEEK
* San Diego State begins the week with a game at Cal State Northridge on Tuesday, April 26, at 3:00 p.m. The contest is one that was rescheduled from earlier this year when rain precluded the teams from playing in late February.
* The Aztecs will then return home to host UNLV in a three-game conference series at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The opening contest between the Aztecs and Rebels is set for Friday, April 29, at 6:00 p.m.
* The series will continue with single games on Saturday (April 30) and Sunday (May) at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. respectively. Sunday's game was pushed back a half hour to accommodate CSTV's national broadcast of the game.
* This is the 67th 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 over that time (including this season) stands at 2047-1258-37 for a won-loss percentage of .618.
SERIES RECORDS
* SDSU's all-time record against Cal State Northridge stands at 39-36 in a series that began in 1960. The teams met annually while both were members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Aztecs and Matadors were also members of the Western Athletic Conference together from 1993 to 1996. Last season, the teams split a pair of games with each side winning on its home field. Earlier this year, SDSU defeated Northridge, 15-6, in San Diego.
* The Aztecs record against UNLV stands at 44-32 in the series that began during the 1978 season. The teams met on a regular basis during the 1990's while both were members of the Western Athletic Conference.
* Since joining the MWC, SDSU's record against the Rebels is 18-21. That ledger includes a 17-16 record in regular-season play and 1-5 in conference tournament action.
* San Diego State's record on the Rebels' home field is 23-17. The Aztecs are 20-9 in contests played in San Diego and 1-6 at neutral site fields. UNLV swept the three-game series with SDSU in Las Vegas earlier this month.
WEEKEND PITCHING ROTATIONS
* The probable starting pitchers for each team in this weekend's series are as follows:
San Diego State UNLVFriday.....Alex Hinshaw (LHP, 4-6, 5.02)......Matt Luca (RHP, 3-5, 4.26)Saturday...Bruce Billings (RHP, 5-3, 3.58)....Koji Pupo (LHP, 3-0, 4.62)Sunday.....Ben Coon (LHP, 2-2, 7.29)..........Derek Rodriguez (RHP, 3-4, 5.27)
HEAD COACH Tony Gwynn
* Tony Gwynn is in his third season as San Diego State's head coach after being named to the position in Sept. 2001. He spent the 2002 campaign as a volunteer assistant coach at SDSU under Jim Dietz, who retired at the end of that season.
* Last year, Gwynn led his squad to the Mountain West Conference regular-season championship and was named the MWC coach of the year.
* A former Aztec who played baseball at San Diego State from 1979 to 1981, 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.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
* Cal State Northridge enters the week with an overall record of 13-23-1 and 0-12 in the Big West Conference. The Matadors have lost 13 of their last 14, the only victory coming over U. of San Diego last Tuesday.
* CSN is led on offense by third baseman Erik Hagstrom (.336, 22 RBI), second baseman Jeff Tezak (.319, 7 2B, 13 RBI) and catcher/shortstop Alberto Quintana (.312, 10 2B, 13 RBI). The Matadors' Tuesday starter was to be determined, but leading candidates include Jeremy Berg (0-0, 6.14) and Ivan Lopez (0-1, 9.90). As a team, the Matadors are hitting .276 with a 6.35 earned run average.
* UNLV (20-22 overall) is coming off a three-game sweep of MWC foe New Mexico and has moved into a tie for the league lead at 14-4. The Rebels have won six of their last seven contests as they host UC Riverside on Tuesday (April 26) prior to playing San Diego State.
* The UNLV offense is led by left fielder JC Sibley (.368. 7 2B, 12 RBI), shortstop Zeke Parraz (.362, 5 HR, 50 RBI) and first baseman Chris Bonnell (.324, 10 2B, 35 RBI). Top hurlers include starters Matt Luca (3-5, 4.26) and Koji Pupo (3-0, 4.62) along with relievers Alex Chalfant (0-0, 1 save, 3.08) and Kyle Tabeek (3-1, 4 saves, 3.38). The Rebels are hitting .295 with a 5.40 team ERA.
BILLINGS EARNS MWC HONOR
* San Diego State sophomore right-hander Bruce Billings has been named the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance in contests vs. UCLA and Air Force last week. It is the second time this season that he has captured the league honor.
* Billings recorded a pair of victories in three appearances, including one start and two relief outings over a six-day span. On Tuesday vs. UCLA, he entered the game in the eighth inning allowing no runs and striking out two, helping the Aztecs preserve a 9-6 victory.
* In the opening game vs. Air Force last Friday, Billings struck out nine, while scattering three hits and walking two in 5.0 innings of work for his first win of the week. In SDSU's series finale vs. the Falcons, he came on in relief in the sixth inning and held AFA hitless over the final four frames. He struck out six and walked one, while facing the minimum 12 batters in the process.
* On the week, Billings struck out 17, while giving up no runs and holding opponents to a batting average of .097 in 10.0 innings on the mound.
OTHER MWC HONOREES
* Bruce Billings is one of three Aztecs to win an MWC weekly award this season.
* Fellow pitcher Alex Hinshaw was named the Pitcher of the Week last week for his performance in his outing vs. Brigham Young in which he tossed a complete game victory while striking out a career-high 12 batters, scattering six hits and walking three.
* SDSU's other honoree was outfielder Garrick Evans, the MWC Player of the Week on Feb. 21 after he went 7-for-17 (.412) with a home run, double, three RBI and four runs scored over four games (one vs. CSU Northridge and three at North Carolina State).
BERRY KEEPS ON HITTING
* Sophomore center fielder Quentin Berry extended his hitting streak to 27 by hitting safely in all five of SDSU's games last week. It is the second-longest streak in school history, just one shy of the Aztec record 28-game streaks of Derek Vinyard (1991) and Steve Dietz (1992).
* During his streak, Berry is batting .398 (49-for-115) with 37 runs scored, 12 doubles and 16 runs batted in. More impressively, he is hitting .581 over SDSU's last 10 contests.
* He has recorded multiple-hit games in six of SDSU's last seven contests.
* His season average now stands at .407, best on the squad this week. He is hitting .485 in Mountain West Conference play.
* He recorded a season-high four hits in a game in the series opener vs. New Mexico on April 8, the first four-hit game for an Aztec in 2005. He duplicated that feat a week later at Brigham Young.
* In last weekend's four games vs. Air Force, he went 8-for-12 with 12 runs scored. He also walked six times for a .778 on-base percentage.
BILLINGS LEADS MOUND STAFF
* With his 10 shutout innings over three appearances last week, Bruce Billings has lowered his season earned run average to 3.58. In league play he is 3-1 with a 3.53 ERA.
* Over his last eight starts (52.2 innings), he has posted a 3.24 earned run average with 59 strikeouts.
* In his two seasons, Billings has allowed just three home runs in 123 innings pitched.
* Opponents are hitting just .223 against him. He is currently averaging just over a strikeout per inning (80 K's in 73 IP) and has a strikeout to walk ratio of better than three-to-one (80 K's-24 BB's).
* Billings leads the conference in strikeouts and his opponent batting average is also the best in the MWC.
HINSHAW SHARP IN LAST THREE
* Since becoming SDSU's Friday night starter three weeks ago, pitcher Alex Hinshaw has posted some impressive numbers.
* Prior to his first weekend-opening start vs. New Mexico on April 8, he had posted a record of 1-6 with a 6.75 earned run average.
* In his three starts since, he is 3-0 with a 2.38 earned run average. He also made a one-inning relief appearance in the win over UCLA last Tuesday, finishing the contest to record his first save.
* In his last three starts, he has struck out 31 over 22.2 innings. He set a personal high with 10 K's vs. New Mexico, then bettered that with 12 at Brigham Young on April 14.
UNGRICHT HEATS UP
* Brock Ungricht has hit safely in seven of SDSU's last eight contests. In those games he is 13-for-31 (.419) with 11 runs scored, 10 RBI, two doubles, two triples and five walks. His on-base percentage in those contests was .500.
* Since April 1, he has raised his batting average from .212 to its current season-high mark of .287.
* Ungricht is hitting .381 in conference play with a .459 on-base percentage
GUERRERO GETS ON
* Second baseman James Guerrero hit safely in all five games last week, going 8-for-16 (.500) with eight runs scored and 10 runs batted in.
* He has driven in at least one run in each of the Aztecs' last five contests.
* Guerrero gotten aboard via a base hit in seven of the last eight game, hitting .517 (15-for-29) with 16 runs scored and 14 RBI. He has scored at least once in seven of those eight contests.
* He was a single shy of hitting for the cycle at BYU on April 15 when he recorded a double, triple and home run.
ZAWADZKI GETS OFFENSIVE
* Third baseman Lance Zawadzki took over the team home run lead when he hit a pair in the series finale vs. Air Force. His first home run in that contest tied the game in the final inning and his second won it for the Aztecs.
* Four of his five home runs this season have come in the Aztecs' last six games.
* Zawadzki has recorded 13 RBI and scored nine runs in SDSU's last six contests.
* He ranks second on the squad in runs scored with 34 and is tied for the team lead in doubles with 11.
TRIPLE YOUR FUN
* After hitting six triples in the first 27 games of the season, the Aztecs have recorded 13 in their last 11 outings.
* They recorded four triples in a game vs. New Mexico on April 9 and again at Brigham Young on April 15.
* The four triples hit by SDSU in those games was one shy of the school record of five in a game set vs. Point Loma Nazarene in 1987 and Western New Mexico in 1984.
* James Guerrero has accounted for four of those 10 recent triples and had two in the game vs. New Mexico (Apr. 8), tying the SDSU mark for three-baggers in a game. The last Aztec to accomplish the feat was Anthony Gwynn, who had a pair of triples vs. Brigham Young on May 22, 2003.
* In last week's NCAA national stats, SDSU's average of 0.47 triples per game tied for 13th-best in the nation. (Stats are released each Tuesday.)
MCLINTOCK ON THE RISE
* Jake McLintock continues to pound the ball, going 7-for-14 in five games last week and. He has hit safely is 11 of his last 13 outings.
* In his last 11 games, he is 23-for-46 (.500) with 21 RBI, 15 runs scored, five doubles, a triples and a home run.
* McLintock had his second five-RBI game of the season in the win over UNM on April 8. He is the lone Aztec to drive in five runs in a game this year.
* Since March 18, McLintock has raised his season batting average from .235 to its current season high of .352, and he is hitting a league-leading .510 in conference games.
SWAYDAN SHOWS CONSISTENCY
* Catcher Jordan Swaydan is on a 10-game hitting streak, going 14-for-38 (.368) over that span.
* During his streak he has scored 11 runs and driven in five.
* He is fielding .989 behind the dish and has not committed an error over the past 25 games in which he has played (202 chances). He has not committed an error in league play (130 chances) while hitting .328 in MWC action.
MWC LEADERS
* The Aztecs have a number of players among the MWC statistical leaders in league games after 18 league games.
* Senior outfielder Jake McLintock leads the conference in batting average (.510), is second in on-base percentage (.583), and has the sixth-best slugging percentage (.745).
* Quintin Berry is second in the MWC in batting average (.485) and first in runs scored with 30 while James Guerrero is second in triples with five.
* On the pitching aside, Bruce Billings has the MWC's top earned run average at 3.53 while Alex Hinshaw is third at 4.41.
* Hinshaw is first in opponent batting average (.218) with Billings second (.220). Bruce Billings leads the league-game stats in strikeouts with 39 followed by Hinshaw with 37.
HITTING IN A PINCH
* After 39 games, Aztec pinch hitters have gone 10-for-30 for a .333 average.
* Eight different players have come through at the plate when coming off the bench.
* Freshman Joseph Scaperotta has a single and a double as a pinch hitter in four at bats. James Scott is 2-for-3 with a single and triple
* Last season, the Aztecs totaled six pinch hits all year, finishing with a .231 average (6-for-26) in that category.
AZTECS IN THE RECORD BOOK
* James Guerrero's three-year total of 102 walks moves him into the number-seven spot on the SDSU career list. Former Aztec Steve Dietz (1990-93) holds down the sixth spot with 103 bases on balls.
* With five this season, Guerrero now has 13 career triples and is two shy of the SDSU record of 15 held jointly by Anthony Gwynn (2001-03) and Nikco Riesgo (1986-88).
* Jake McLintock passed former Aztec Bobby Meacham this past Sunday and is now the SDSU record holder for most career at bats with 768 ABs.
* McLintock is just seven RBI's shy of passing Chris Gwynn for the Aztec career mark in that category.
TURN ON THE POWER
* The Aztecs had hit only eight home runs through their first 26 contests, but have connected for 13 in their last 13 games.
* The Aztecs hit two homers in a game for the first time this year when James Guerrero and Curt Mendoza connected in the win over New Mexico on April 8.
* Since that time, two Aztecs have had two-home run games: freshman Joseph Scaperotta at BYU on April 15 and sophomore Lance Zawadzki vs. Air Force on April 24.
AZTEC NOTES
* Freshman James Scott made his first plate appearance in a month against Air Force on Saturday, slugging a two-RBI triple in his lone at bat of the weekend.
* Reliever Dan Bruckart has not allowed an earned run in nine of his 10 relief appearances this year. The three he has given up this season came at Brigham Young on April 16.
* Cody Campbell has given up just three earned runs in his last five relief appearances.
* In his first start in the field since early April, left fielder Garrick Evans responded with three hits, three runs score and a pair of RBI last Saturday vs. Air Force.
* Alex Hinshaw has hit 11 opposing hitter this season, five shy of the SDSU record of 16 by Jeremy Cook (2002).
* Will Miller has walked only one batter in his last seven appearances covering 7.2 innings.
* Right-hander Brett Douglas had a career-high eight strikeouts in 3.2 innings in his start vs. Air Force last Sunday.
* Redshirt freshman relief pitcher Jared Suwyn had his best outing of the season last Friday vs. Air Force, going two innings and allowing just a single.
* After making 10 starts this season, Bruce Billings made his first relief appearance of the year in Tuesday's game vs. UCLA. His second came five days later in the series finale vs. Air Force.
* San Diego State has reached double figures in hits in seven of its last eight outings. In the game in which it did not reach double figures, it made the most of five hits to record an 8-1 win over Air Force last Friday.
* SDSU's team batting average of .311 entering the weekend is the highest it has been for the season. Since mid-February, the team average risen from .271 to its current mark.
UP NEXT
* Following the UNLV series, the Aztecs will travel to Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday (May 3) to face the top-ranked Titans at 5:00 p.m. (PDT) in a game to be televised by ESPN2.
* SDSU remains on the road next weekend as it travels to Salt Lake City to face host conference rival Utah in a three-game series beginning Friday (May 6) at 6:00 p.m. (MDT) at Franklin Covey Field.
* That series continues on Saturday (May 7) and Sunday (May 8) with both contests slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. (MDT).