April 26, 2018
VS. THE REBELS: San Diego State, which stands a half-game ahead of UNLV for second place in the air-tight Mountain West standings, hosts UNLV for a three-game series starting Friday night at 6:00 p.m.
SDSU scored a combined 39 runs over the final two games of a series against UNLV in Las Vegas on March 24-25, good for the most runs scored by the Aztecs in a two-game span since scoring 43 against Air Force from May 5-6, 2006. It was 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.
Since the two teams met, SDSU has gone 11-7, while UNLV, which entered the first meeting with the Aztecs with a 19-3 record, has gone just 9-9 since suffering a series loss to SDSU.
The Aztecs have scored 111 runs in its last nine meetings with UNLV, good for a 12.3 runs per game average. SDSU's 22 runs scored in the series finale against UNLV is tied for the most runs the Aztecs have ever scored against the Rebels in 149 all-time meetings, having also scored 22 in a 22-1 win over UNLV on March 29, 1997.
ON THE AIR: KCR, SDSU's student-run radio station, will broadcast Friday night's game. XTRA 1360 will broadcast Saturday and Sunday's games with Jon Schaeffer and Judson Richards on the call.
A BIG WIN OVER UC RIVERSIDE: San Diego State posted its largest margin of victory since 2010 on Tuesday against UC Riverside, defeating the Highlanders, 19-1. It's the largest margin of victory since SDSU defeated Wagner, 18-0, in 2010 and largest road margin of victory since defeating Air Force, 36-11, in 2006.
Jordan Verdon posted his team-high seventh and eighth home runs of the season and was one of five players to record a three-hit game, joined by David Hensley (3-for-6, 3 RBI), Dean Nevarez (3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI), Chad Bible (3-for-4, RBI) and Casey Schmitt (3-for-4 3 RBI).
SDSU struck out just one time in the game, marking the fourth time over the past two seasons SDSU has struck out just once in a game.
FERNANDEZ'S BIG WEEK: Senior right-hander Jorge Fernandez posted a big week last week, making both his first and second starts of the 2018 season and hurling 10 shutout innings over those two starts. Fernandez posted six shutout innings in a win over Fresno State last Sunday with seven strikeouts and finished his week with 10 total strikeouts with no walks allowed, five hits allowed, and a .139 opponent batting average.
PYATT'S EMERGENCE: Since taking a no-hitter bid into the eighth inning against Long Beach State on April 3, Harrison Pyatt owns a 1.06 ERA over his last three starts, having just two earned runs allowed in his last 17 innings pitched. Over that span, Pyatt has struck out 17 batters and held opposing hitters to a .153 batting average.
FAST STARTS: SDSU's 39 first-inning runs this season are the most of any inning this season. During the first inning, the Aztecs are hitting .328 as a team. SDSU's totals of five home runs, 35RBIs, and 54 total hits are all the best of any inning in a season this year. SDSU is 14-5 on the season when scoring in the first inning.
CLAMPING DOWN: SDSU enters this weekend having won 74 consecutive games when leading after eight innings, good for one of the top five longest active streaks in the country.
HOME COOKING: Chase Calabuig extended his on-base streak in home games to 43 last weekend, good for the longest home on-base streak in Tony Gwynn Stadium history. At home, Calabuig is hitting a team-best .347 with three home runs, 21 RBIs, and 13 doubles over 21 home games.
AMONG THE NATIONAL/CONFERENCE LEADERS: In addition to being the Mountain West leader in earned run average (3.69), WHIP (1.37) and hits allowed per nine innings (8.54), SDSU ranks among the top of the nation in numerous statistical categories.- SDSU's 41 double plays turned are eighth most in the nation.- SDSU's 436 total hits are 10th most in the nation.- SDSU's .304 team batting average is 12th best in the nation.- Jordan Verdon and Chase Calabuig are fourth and 17 th in the nation in doubles, respectively, with 19 and 16 doubles.- Chase Calabuig leads the Mountain West with three triples.- Adrian Mardueno and Garrett Hill are tied for the Mountain West lead with six wins each.- Jacob Erickson is second in the MW in walks allowed per nine innings (1.51) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.38).
GOOD IN ALL ASPECTS: SDSU is one of six teams in the nation to have a batting average above .300 and an ERA below 3.70, joined by only No. 3 NC State, No. 5 Oregon State, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Arkansas, and No. 21 Minnesota (all rankings provided by D1Baseball.com).
HOMEGROWN: The San Diego State roster features 10 players from San Diego. Collectively, San Diego natives have posted 66.9 percent of SDSU's 2018 hit total (292 of 436)
EXPERIENCE ON THE DIAMOND: Despite having a team of 15 freshmen -- the program's largest freshman class since 2011 -- the Aztecs have two of the most experienced players in the nation this year in Chase Calabuig, who is fourth among all DI players with 219 career games played, and Jacob Erickson, who leads all DI pitchers with 113 career pitching appearances. The Aztecs are the only team in the nation to have a player in the top five of both categories. Erickson recently set SDSU's program record in pitching appearances and is the Mountain West all-time leader, while Calabuig is 17 games shy from setting the program's career games played record (SDSU has 14 regular season games remaining).Games Played1 JJ Schwarz , Florida 2472 Ryan Chandler , Rice 2263 Gage Morey , FGCU 223T4 Chase Calabuig , San Diego St. 219T4 Gabe Snyder , Wright St. 219
Pitching Appearances1 Jacob Erickson , San Diego St. 1132 Cooper Hammond , Miami (FL) 1033 Seth Pinkerton, Hartford 101T4 Charlie Fletcher, William & Mary 98T4 Dylan Moore, Louisiana 98
FOUR OF FIVE: SDSU enters 2018 as the only team in DI baseball to have won four conference tournament championships in the last five years. The Aztecs look to make it five of six in 2018, and as an added bonus, SDSU will host the 2018 Mountain West Tournament from May 24 - 27.