April 25, 2017
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State returns home this evening to host UC Riverside in a contest scheduled to get underway at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Highlanders enter the game with a record of 13-22 having dropped 13 of their last 14 outings. Included in that run is a 10-1 loss at the hands of the Aztecs last Tuesday in Riverside.
UCR is expected to starter sophomore left-hander Hazahel Quijada (2-4, 6.00) on the mound in tonight's game.
San Diego State, meanwhile, will utilize junior right-hander Jorge Fernandez (0-1, 1.74) in a starting role this evening. Fernandez started last Friday's (April 21) game at UC Santa Barbara, pitching four innings of shutout ball and allowing a hit with three walks. He was not involved in the decision in the contest in which the Aztecs rallied late for a 5-3 victory.
Outfielder David Hensley has been one of SDSU's hottest hitter of late. The junior outfielder had a nine-game hitting streak stopped in the series finale at UCSB on Sunday. During that streak he batted .541 (20-for-37) with a double, triple, home run, eight RBI and nine runs scored.
Chase Calabuig had a nine-game hitting streak end in the opener at UCSB last Friday. In those nine contests he hit .412 (14-for-34) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI and six runs scored.
Over the past 19 games, the SDSU pitching staff has posted a 14-5 record with a 2.87 earned run average. Opponents have hit .241 over those 19 contests. Included in that run are a shutout victory and three one-run wins.
Defensively, SDSU has committed 32 errors in its first 41 contests for a .980 fielding percentage. The team record for fielding percentage in a season is .978 set during the 2013 campaign.
The Aztecs lead the nation in double plays with a total of 48 in 41 games. They are also first in double plays per game at 1.17.
Sunday's (April22) game at UCSB marked the first time this season that SDSU did not have the same starting four infielders in a game. Second baseman Alan Trejo was replaced by freshman Jacob Maekawa while third baseman Andrew Brown made way for David Hensley.
Following tonight's contest, the Aztecs will prepare for this weekend's three-game series against Mountain West foe New Mexico. That set gets underway on Friday, April 28, with a game slated to start at 6:00 p.m. at Tony Gwynn Stadium.