March 8, 2017
Complete Release and Season Statistics
WHAT'S ON TAP THIS WEEKEND IN AZTEC BASEBALL
The SDSU baseball team will open its 2017 Mountain West campaign with a three-game series at Nevada this weekend. That set of contests will get underway on Friday, March 10, at 2:00 p.m. at Peccole Park. Nevada and SDSU will also meet for games on Saturday (March 11) and Sunday (March 12) at 1:00 p.m. and noon respectively. All three of this weekend's contests at Nevada will have live video streaming on the Mountain West Network along with Live Stats. Links for those broadcasts and stats will be available at the SDSU web site (GoAztecs.com).
SERIES RECORD
The Aztecs have a record of 13-23 against Nevada in a series that began in 1986. Last season SDSU went 0-8 against the Wolf Pack, a mark that includes six regular-season losses along with two at the Mountain West Tournament. The Aztecs' last victory over Nevada came during the 2015 Mountain West Tournament in Reno, Nev. The Wolf Pack has won 14 of the last 16 games vs. San Diego State. SDSU has a mark of 6-10 vs. Nevada in San Diego, 3-10 in Reno and 4-3 at neutral sites.
PITCHING DOMINATES
Over the past five games, the SDSU pitching staff has given up a total of seven runs (six earned), posting a 4-1 record with a 1.00 earned run average. Opponents hit just .215 over the five games with 31 of their 35 hits being singles (other four were doubles). Included in that run was a pair of shutout victories. The Aztecs recorded only one shutout during the 2016 season.
EARLY SCORING
Last Sunday's (March 5) contest vs. Cal Poly was the first game this season in which one of the teams did not score in the first inning. Through the first 11 games of the year, either SDSU or its opponent had scored in the opening frame. When the opponent scored in the opening inning, the Aztecs were 3-4. When SDSU scored in the first frame, it has a record of 4-0.
STREAKS
Danny Sheehan's current eight-game hitting streak is the second longest for an Aztec this season. Andrew Martinez's five game streak in the second-longest current hitting streak on the team. Two Aztecs have reached base safely (via hit, walk or hit by pitch) in every game including Sheehan and Andrew Martinez. Brown has recorded a team-leading six multiple-hit contests each with Sheehan, Brown, Jordan Verdon and David Hensley having two multiple-RBI games apiece.
SHEEHAN RETURNS
After redshirting during the 2016 season, senior Danny Sheehan has returned for his final year and claimed the starting shortstop role he held in 2015. He is currently on an eight-game hitting streak during which he is batting .333 (10-for-30) with a double, three RBI and six runs scored. After 13 games, he is tied for the team lead with 17 hits and nine RBI. Sheehan has been hit by pitch four times this season to bring his career total to 17. That ranks 17th on the SDSU all-time top 20 in that category.
VERDON STREAK ENDS
First baseman Jordan Verdon had a nine-game hitting streak, the longest by an Aztec this season, come to an end in the series finale vs. Cal Poly on Sunday (Mar. 5). During that streak he went 13-for-37 (.351) with a double, two triples, five RBI and six runs scored. In four games last week, he batted .467 (7-for-15). He is the lone SDSU infielder without an error after 13 games (106 chances).
MARTINEZ SOLID AS DH
Senior Andrew Martinez continues to lead the team in batting in the role of designated hitter. Through 13 games, he is hitting .349 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBI. He has also drawn four walks for a .417 on-base percentage. Martinez played the past three seasons at UC Irvine, graduating last year with one season of eligibility remaining after redshirting there one year (2013). The native of nearby Chula Vista (Mater Dei HS), he chose to compete for the Aztecs in his final season.
BROWN STAYS HOT
Third baseman Andrew Brown had a seven-game hitting streak end in the series finale vs. Cal Poly on Sunday (March 5). During that streak he batted .355 (11-for-31) with two doubles, a home run, six RBI and five runs scored. He singled in the loss to USC on Tuesday and has now hit in eight the SDSU's last nine contests. Brown leads the squad with 17 hits and two home runs. He is tied for the team lead with nine RBI.
AZTEC NOTES
The Aztecs are 7-0 when leading after six or seven innings, and 8-0 when leading after eight … SDSU has committed 11 errors in its first 13 contests for a .978 fielding percentage. The team record for fielding percentage in a season is .978 set during the 2013 campaign … As a team, the Aztecs rank fourth in the Mountain West in hitting at .281. Their 3.49 earned run average ranks second and they are also second in fielding (.978) … Catcher Hunter Stratton recorded his first career double in the win over Cal Poly on Sunday (March 5). As a freshman he had a home run in eight at bats and last season had three triples … In his last four relief appearances covering 5.2 innings, Logan Boyer has allowed one hit with eight strikeouts.