March 9, 2011
Complete Release and Season Statistics in PDF Format
WHAT'S ON TAP THIS WEEK IN AZTEC BASEBALL
San Diego State will host 15th-ranked Arkansas for a four-game series this week beginning Thursday, March 10. Contests against the Razorbacks are slated for Thursday through Saturday (March 10-12) at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The series concludes with a game at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (March 13).
SERIES RECORDS
In the only previous contest between San Diego State and Arkansas, the Razorbacks claimed a 6-4 decision when the teams faced off in 2001. That game was played as part of the Hormel Foods Classic at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn.
SCOUTING THE RAZORBACKS
Arkansas, ranked 15th this week is the USA Today/ESPN poll, is 10-1 and riding a four-game winning streak. The Razorbacks' top hitters include right fielder Kyle Robinson (.465, 3 HR, 21 RBI), third baseman Matt Reynolds (.405, 4 2B, 7 RBI) and first baseman Dominic Ficociello (.394, 4 2B, 19 RBI). Six players are in double figures in RBI. Arkansas' team batting is .306 and it has a 3.27 team ERA. The Razorbacks are averaging almost 10 runs per game (9.91) while allowing 3.5 per contest.
SWANSON DEALS
Left-hander Cole Swanson was impressive in his relief outing at Cal State Northridge on Tuesday. The freshman from San Diego (Torrey Pines HS) tossed five innings allowing a run on five hits with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts. He entered the contest in the second innings with bases loaded and no outs. He proceeded to strike out the next three Matador batters. In the next inning, CSU put runners on with a walk and single before Swanson against struck out three in a row. In three four relief appearances covering 11.1 innings, he has a 2.38 earned run average with four walks and 11 strikeouts.
MEREDITH ON THE OFFENSIVE
Outfielder Brandon Meredith had a triple, single and two walks in five plate appearances at Northridge on Tuesday along with a pair of RBI. The triple at Northridge was his third this season. Entering the 2011 campaign, Meredith had recorded no triples in his first two seasons as an Aztec. He has hit safely in each of the last four games and has scored at least once each of those contests (six total runs). His three triples lead the team as do his five doubles, nine RBI and three stolen bases. Meredith is hitting .600 (6-for-10) with runners in scoring position.
COLWELL RETURNING TO FORM
Senior center fielder Pat Colwell got on track with a four-hit game against third-ranked Oklahoma last Sunday (March 6). He came into that contest with only four hits in his first nine contests. In the process he raised his average by almost 100 points (from 133 to .229). He also scored a pair of runs in that game and leads the team this season with 10. He followed that up with a single and walk in five plate appearance at Northridge on Tuesday.
HAYNAL HITS AWAY
Freshman catcher Brad Haynal hit his first home run as an Aztecs in Tuesday's contest at CSU Northridge, driving a ball deep over the left field fence into the wind. He had his best day at the plate as an Aztec with a three-hit performance last Sunday vs. No. 3 Oklahoma. He also drove in a pair of runs in the first inning that gave SDSU a 2-0. Defensively he threw out a pair of runners attempting to steal in that contest as well.
MILLER PITCHES TOUGH
Sophomore right-hander Ethan Miller picked up the victory in SDSU's win over No. 14 California last Friday. He went seven innings, allowing a run on four hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. Miller retired 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced and the one batter that did reach against him (in the seventh) was erased on a double play. Included in that run were 11 consecutive outs from the third through sixth innings. His seven strikeouts tied his career high which he set in his previous outing vs. University of San Diego on Feb. 25.
TORRES AT THE PLATE
First baseman Jomel Torres has hit safely in each of SDSU's last four contests, his second four-game streak of the season. In his last four games he is hitting .429 (6-for-14) with a double, triple four runs scored and four runs batted in. At CSU Northridge on Tuesday, he reached base four times on a single, double and two walks and scored twice. Torres had an RBI single against Cal on Friday and a two-run triple vs. Connecticut on Saturday. (He did not play in Sunday's contest vs. Oklahoma.)
BRYANT TAKES CHANCE
Dillon Bryant was a last-minute starter in left field at Northridge on Tuesday when Cody Smith came down with a hip pointer prior to the game. The freshman from Orange, Calif. (Orange Lutheran HS) took the opportunity to hit his first collegiate home run, a shot over the right field fence at Matador Field. Bryant finished the afternoon with the hit, two walks and three runs scored.
MORANDA ON THE MOUND
Despite taking the loss, senior Steven Moranda turned in a fine pitching performance against No. 3 Oklahoma on Thursday, Match 3. In that contest, he went 7.1 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. His strikeout total was a new career high. In the fifth inning of that contest the Sooners loaded the bases with no out, but Moranda was able to work out of the jam with no runs scoring.
AZTEC NOTES
Only right fielder Brandon Meredith has started every game thus far for SDSU ... Junior catcher/third baseman Chris Wilson hit his first homer of the season at Northridge on Tuesday (March 8), a solo shot to left field ... Outfielder Cody Smith is 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position ... Freshman catcher Denny Vigo made his Aztec debut a memorable one as he homered in his first collegiate at bat in the season opener against Winthrop ... SDSU pinch hitters are 2-for-15 with one of those hits being the home run by Denny Vigo in the season opener ... Freshman Jared Hunt, a utility infielder who has played in six games mainly at third base, has a stress fracture in his foot and is out indefinitely. In his six games he went 3-for-10 with a double and three runs scored ... Senior Craig Rasmussen picked up his first career save in the win over No. 14 California last Friday (March 4) as he shut out the Bears over the final two innings ... First-year Aztec Kyle Hayes, who appeared in seven games as an outfielder, pinch hitter and DH, made his SDSU pitching debut vs. University of San Diego on Feb. 27. He went one inning of relief allowing just a walk.