March 26, 2018
VS. THE DIRTBAGS: SDSU plays Long Beach State on Tuesday for the first time since the then-No. 9-ranked and regional host Dirtbags handed the Aztecs each of its two NCAA Regional losses last season. Despite those two losses, the Aztecs were 6-3 in its previous nine games against the Dirtbags when entering the NCAA postseason last year, including a pair of regular-season victories against LBSU in 2017.
The Aztecs look to continue its recent success against Big West programs, owning a 19-6 record against BW programs since the start of the 2017 season.
ON THE AIR: Long Beach State will produce a live stream and provide live stats for tomorrow night's contest. Links will be available at GoAztecs.comJordan Verdon IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD: After earning Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week honors last week, SDSU junior infielder Jordan Verdon continued his red-hot stretch at the plate this past week. Over his last 10 games played, Verdon is hitting .442 with two home runs, 10 doubles, and 19 RBI. Verdon currently leads the nation with 15 doubles on the season and hit a home run in each of SDSU's wins over UNLV last weekend. Verdon is also 31st in the nation (3rd in the MW) with 29 RBI, fifth in the MW with a .656 slugging percentage, and fifth in the conference with 33 total hits. To close a fine weekend at UNLV, Verdon posted a career-high 6 RBIs on a career-high five hits, making him the first Aztec since Steven Pallares (March 21, 2015) to record six or more RBIs in a game. Verdon has reached base in each of the last 20 games, good for the longest streak of the 2018 season for SDSU and six games shy of his career-best 26 game on-base streak last season.
Garrett Hill IS ALSO REALLY, REALLY GOOD: SDSU junior right-hander Garrett Hill has been one of the most consistent pitchers in the nation so far in 2018, taking a 5-0 record and 1.32 ERA into this week after logging his fifth win of the season on Saturday against UNLV. Hill had a scoreless inning streak of 21.1 innings snapped in the second inning of his start against the Rebels. Hill's five wins on the 2018 season are tied for the most in the nation and his 1.32 ERA is the best in the Mountain West and 23rd best in the country. Hill also stands fourth in the MW with 38 strikeouts on the year.
Chad Bible HEATING UP: SDSU redshirt junior Chad Bible has proven to be a solid middle-of-the-order threat for the Aztecs in 2018, leading the team with five home runs. Bible became the first player since Seby Zavala and Danny Sheehan (May 22-23, 2015) to homer in three consecutive games this past weekend. Bible currently ranks fourth in the MW with five home runs.
Julian Escobedo HEATING UP: Currently riding a seven-game hitting streak, Julian Escobedo has led the team in hitting over the last seven games with a .536 (15-for-28) batting average with a home run, six RBIs, and two doubles.
NATIONAL RANKINGS UPDATE: San Diego State saw itself in three of the major national ranking polls Monday morning, including being slotted at No. 23 in the nation by both D1 Baseball and Baseball America. After being at No. 25 for three consecutive weeks by Baseball America, SDSU's series win over UNLV pushed the Aztecs up two spots to No. 23. The Aztecs are also No. 24 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's national top 30.
A LOT OF RUNS WERE SCORED LAST WEEKEND: After suffering a series-opening 4-3 defeat at UNLV, the Aztecs presented one of its best two-game stretches of offense in program history on Saturday and Sunday, scoring a combined 39 runs on 41 hits to defeat the Rebels, 17-8 and 22-7, respectively. It is the fourth consecutive series win against the Rebels, which entered the weekend at No. 24 in D1 Baseball's national top 25. In all four of SDSU's last series wins against UNLV, the Aztecs dropped the opener, but won each of the last two games to claim the series.
On Sunday, the Aztecs set new season-highs in at-bats (51), runs scored (22), hits (23), RBIs (21), home runs (4) and total bases (39).
For the series, the Aztecs hit nine home runs, the most in a single series for SDSU since hitting 11 at UNLV from April 18-20, 2008.
The Aztecs have scored 111 runs in its last nine meetings with UNLV, good for a 12.3 runs per game average.
The 22 runs scored in Sunday's series finale is tied for the most runs the Aztecs have ever scored against the Rebels over 149 all-time meetings. The Aztecs also scored 22 in a 22-1 win over UNLV on March 29, 1997. The Aztecs now own an 88-61 all-time series lead over UNLV.
The 39 combined runs during the last two games of the series are the most over a two-game span since scoring 43 against Air Force from May 5-6, 2006. It is the first time since 2003, when SDSU defeated Air Force 19-2 and 18-4 on March 23, 2003 and March 22, 2003, respectively, that the Aztecs have scored 17 or more runs in back-to-back games.
With the series win, the Aztecs improve to 9-2 in its last 11 games in Las Vegas and 5-4 in its last nine games against nationally ranked opponents.
SDSU's season statistics greatly benefitted from the outburst in the final two games, as SDSU's season batting average increased from .282 to .300, season slugging percentage increased from .403 to .447, and season on-base percentage increased from .355 to .373 from the 39-run performance over its previous two games.
ONE OF VERY FEW: San Diego State is one of just four teams in the nation to have a team ERA of 3.40 or lower and a team batting average of .300 or higher, joined by NC State, Arkansas, and Oregon State. SDSU's 3.33 ERA ranks as the best in the MW, while its .300 batting average is second best in the MW and 22nd best in the nation.
SERIES SUCCESS: The Aztecs have had a winning record during each of its weekends so far this season. Not including a 2-1 showing at the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament in February, the Aztecs have won all five of its weekend series so far in 2018. SDSU has also won 11 of its last 13 Mountain West series and 16 of its last 18 weekend series overall.