Aztecs Ready for Tony Gwynn Legacy This Weekend

Game Week Preview
Tony Gwynn Legacy
Tony Gwynn Stadium | San Diego, Calif.

San Diego State vs. Hawai'i
Friday, Feb. 25 | 6 p.m. PT
Series Record: Hawai'i leads 78-67 | Last meeting: Feb. 4, 2006; Aztecs won 7-5
SDSU: TJ Fondtain, LHP (0-0, 2.08 ERA); UH: Cade Halemanu RHP (0-0, 6.75 ERA)

San Diego State vs. Utah
Saturday, Feb. 26 | 6 p.m. PT
Series Record: SDSU leads 103-34 | Last meeting: Feb. 22, 2019; Aztecs won 3-2
SDSU: Kelena Sauer, RHP (1-0, 1.80 ERA); Utah: Randon Hostert (0-0, 27.00 ERA)

San Diego State vs. Utah
Sunday, Feb. 27 | 2 p.m. PT 
Series Record: SDSU leads 103-34 | Last meeting: Feb. 22, 2019; Aztecs won 3-2
SDSU: Jacob Flores, RHP (0-1, 4.15 ERA); Utah: Cam Day (0-0, 12.00 ERA)

AZTECS SET FOR TONY GWYNN LEGACY
>  The seventh annual Tony Gwynn Legacy, co-hosted by San Diego State and the University of San Diego, begins play on Friday, Feb. 25. 
>  Two games per day will be conducted at SDSU's Tony Gwynn Stadium from Friday through Sunday, while USD will host one contest per day this weekend at Fowler Park.
>  In addition to the Aztecs and Toreros, the event features Fresno State, Hawai'i, UNLV and Utah, with a complete tournament schedule available on GoAztecs.com.
>  SDSU will lock horns with Hawai'i on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. PT, before entertaining Utah for a pair of games to wrap up the weekend. Saturday's clash with the Utes is set for another 6 p.m. start, while Sunday's showdown is slated to get underway at 2 p.m.
>  The Aztecs-Rainbow Warriors matchup will be streamed live via the Mountain West Network, with a link available on GoAztecs.com,
while both games vs. Utah can be heard over the airwaves on XTRA Sports 1360 AM.
>  During both games on Saturday, the players will all wear the No. 19 on their jerseys to honor the late Tony Gwynn.
>  Despite playing a modified schedule in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SDSU kept the tournament active last season by winning three of four games in a crosstown series against UC San Diego.

AN EARLY LOOK AT THE AZTECS
>  Heading into this weekend's action, San Diego State finds itself with a 1-3 record after dropping a 13-3 decision at UC Irvine in blustery conditions on Tuesday. Despite a season-best 10 hits and a career-high nine strikeouts from pitcher Jonny Guzman, who was making his first collegiate start, the Aztecs were unable to keep pace with the Anteaters, who scored three runs in the fifth and seven more markers in the seventh to break the contest open. 
>  SDSU began the 2022 campaign with three games at the prestigious MLB4 Tournament, Feb. 18-20, in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Aztecs opened the weekend with a tough 5-3 defeat to No. 17 TCU, as the Horned Frogs rallied with three runs in the top of the ninth to escape with the victory. 
>  SDSU rebounded with a 4-3 triumph over Houston last Saturday, as five pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts, including starter Kelena Sauer, who struck out a career-high six batters over five innings for his second win in a Scarlet and Black uniform.
>  The Aztecs closed out their weekend excursion to the desert with a 6-3 setback at the hands of California, which finished the tournament with a 3-0 record. SDSU nursed a 2-1 lead thanks to Brian Leonhardt's two-run homer in the first. However, the Golden Bears erupted with four markers in the fifth to take the lead for good. Poncho Ruiz also went deep for the Aztecs with a solo shot in the sixth, but it wasn't enough.
>  SDSU second baseman Alex Rodriguez was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week on Feb. 21, after leading the team with a .500 batting average and a .600 on-base percentage at the MLB4 Tournament while tying for the top spot with a .600 on-base percentage. The Rancho Cucamonga, California, native went 3-for-4 with an RBI in collegiate debut, notching singles in his first two career at-bats.

AZTEC WEEKEND ROTATION
> San Diego State's projected pitching rotation for the Tony Gwynn Legacy will feature the same trio of hurlers who turned in solid performances at the MLB4 Tournament last weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona.
> TJ Fondtain (0-0, 2.08 ERA) is expected to make his second consecutive start on the mound for the Aztecs on Friday vs. Hawai'i. The SDSU left-hander made his pitching debut for the Scarlet and Black against No. 17 TCU at the MLB4 Tournament, where he struck out five batters in 4 1/3 innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits and three walks. As a prep at Buchanan High School, Fondtain posted a 17-2 record and a 1.95 ERA in 31 career pitching appearances, compiling 132 strikeouts in 133.0 innings, according to MaxPreps. He helped the Bears to three consecutive berths in the CIF Central Section Division I playoffs, including a spot in the title game in 2017.
> On Saturday, sophomore Kelena Sauer (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will make his third career start for the Aztecs after emerging as the winning pitcher in SDSU's 4-3 victory over Houston at the MLB4 Tournament on Feb. 19. Against the Cougars, the Mililani, Hawai'i, product fanned a collegiate-high six batters over five innings, yielding just one run on three hits and two walks. As a true freshman in 2021, Sauer posted a 1-0 record with a 4.20 ERA, one save and 19 strikeouts in 15.0 innings over 14 games. Last season, the Aztec right-hander held opponents scoreless in his first four appearances and eight for the year.
> Meanwhile, Jacob Flores (0-1, 4.15 ERA) is once again slated to get the call on Sunday against Utah. The SDSU left-hander will be making his second straight start and sixth of his career after taking the hill vs. California at the MLB4 Tournament. Against the Bears, Flores absorbed the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks. However, the Oxnard, California, native still posted a career-high six strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. Over the previous four seasons, Flores appeared in 54 games for the Aztecs with four starts to his credit, compiling a 4-2 record with a 4.24 ERA and two saves. In that span, he struck out  88 batters against 61 walks in 80 2/3 innings. In 2020, he enjoyed his finest season as a collegian despite an abbreviated schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flores posted a 2-0 record in eight appearances with a 1.45 ERA, which ranked second in the Mountain West.  He also finished among the league leaders in strikeouts (T-3rd - 25), strikeouts per 9 innings (3rd - 12.05) and opposing batting average (4th - .203).
 
SERIES RECORD VS. HAWAI'I
>  San Diego State trails the all-time series vs. the Rainbow Warriors 67-78 after the teams first met in 1980.
>  Over the next 20 seasons, two sides squared off annually as members of the Western Athletic Conference.
>  The Aztecs have not faced Hawai'i since a four-game series in Honolulu to open the 2006 campaign. 
>  SDSU dropped the first three games of that set by scores of 6-2, 11-9, 9-7, before salvaging a 7-5 victory in the series finale.
>  The Aztecs are 41-27 against the Rainbow Warriors in San Diego, 25-50 in Honolulu and 1-1 on a neutral diamond.
>  After Friday's clash, San Diego State and Hawai'i will battle each other in a single game following the Tony Gwynn Legacy on Monday, Feb. 28, starting at 6 p.m. PT.

SERIES RECORD VS. UTAH
>  San Diego State boasts a commanding 103-34 lead against Utah in a series that began in 1964.
>  The Aztecs are 66-16 vs. the Utes in San Diego, 27-13 in Salt Lake City and 10-5 at neutral sites.
>  Utah is making its second appearance in the Tony Gwynn Legacy after SDSU claimed a narrow 3-2 victory on Feb. 22, 2019. Former Aztec All-Americans Matt Rudick and Casey Schmitt delivered RBI singles in that contest, with Schmitt earning the save as well after taking the mound in the ninth.
>  The Utes are one of four college baseball programs the Aztecs have recorded 100 victories against. The other three are New Mexico (123), Air Force (116) and Fresno State (106).

HAWAI'I AT A GLANCE
>  The Rainbow Warriors are coming off a 2-2 split in their opening series against Washington State at home last weekend. Hawai'i lost the first two games by scores of 5-4 and 4-2, before rebounding with a pair of three-run victories, 6-3 and 7-4.
>  Hawai'i was predicted to finish sixth in the 2022 Big West preseason coaches poll after an eighth-place standing in 2021, when the Rainbow Warriors finished with a 16-24 record in conference play and a 24-26 mark overall.
>  Hawai'i has been led by senior outfielder Scotty Scott, who ranks second in the nation after the opening weekend with a .833 on-base percentage to go with a .625 batting average (5-8), which is tied for 20th in the country. 
>  In addition, graduate student and fellow outfielder Cole Cabrera is hitting .357, which ranks second on the team, while sophomore third baseman Aaron Ujimori and freshman shortstop Jordan Donahue top the squad with three RBIs each.
>  The Rainbow Warriors are expected to start junior Cade Halemanu (0-0) on Friday.  The Hawai'i right-hander pitched four innings in the season opener against WSU on Feb. 18, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks against five strikeouts. Last season, Halemanu was 5-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 13 appearances (12 starts). He struck out 57 batters, which ranked second on the team. 
>  Collectively, the Rainbow Warriors have amassed a .209 team batting average after four games, while their pitching staff owns a 3.50 ERA as a team with 43 strikeouts.
>  Patrolling the dugout for Hawai'i is a familiar face among baseball circles in "America's Finest City", as Rich Hill enters his first season as a head coach of the Rainbow Warrior program. Hill arrives on the Manoa campus after spending 23 seasons as head coach at the University of San Diego, where he compiled a record of 747-514.

UTAH AT A GLANCE
>  The Utes posted a 2-0-1 mark in their opening series at Loyola Marymount, Feb. 18-20, capturing the first two games by scores of 8-5 and 10-7 before playing to a 9-9 tie in the weekend finale due to the team's travel schedule.
>  Utah returns six starters (three position players, three pitchers from last year's squad that compiled a 17-33 record and a 7-23 mark in the Pac-12.
>  After three games, the Utes have been paced by third baseman Chase Anderson, a graduate student who has posted a .462 batting average (6-13) with one double and four RBIs, while sophomore outfielder is hitting at a .400 clip with one homer and a team-best seven RBIs.
>  Utah is projected to start redshirt sophomore Randon Hostert (0-0, 27.00 ERA) on Saturday night against the Aztecs, while freshman Cam Day (0-0, 12.00 ERA) is slated to take the mound on Sunday.
>  A 6-6 right-hander, Hostert gave up five runs on three hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings against LMU on Feb. 19, but did not factor in the decision. 
>  In his start vs. the Lions on Feb. 20, the right-hander Day yielded four runs on four hits and one walk against four strikeouts.
>  Utah is led by first-year head coach Gary Henderson, an SDSU alumnus who served as the Utes' associate head coach from 2020-21. Henderson arrived in Salt Lake City after a two-year stint at Mississippi State in 2017-18, where he worked as the Bulldogs' pitching coach. Midway through the 2018 campaign, he took over as interim head coach, guiding MSU to the semifinals of the College World Series. For his  efforts, Henderson was named NCBWA Coach of the Year. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English from San Diego State, Henderson earned a master's in sports psychology from the university and served as the head coach of the Aztecs' junior varsity team in 1988. 

TOUGH AT HOME
>  Since the start of the 2012 season, San Diego State is 175-106 (.612) when playing at home.
>  In 2018, the Aztecs set a program record with 25 home victories at Tony Gwynn Stadium (since 1997), besting the previous standard of 24 set in 1997, 2002 and 2014.

CRAZY TONY GWYNN PLAYER STATS
> Tony Gwynn completed his illustrious career with a .338 lifetime batting average. Every other player who had a career batting average of at least .338 played before 1943.
> Gwynn hit .368 over a five-year stretch between 1993 and 1997.
> Gwynn faced Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, and John Smoltz a combined 323 times. He struck out three times over those at bats.
> Gwynn never struck out more than 40 times in a season and struck out less than 20 times in six straight season. He had a career-low 15 strikeouts in 1995.

REWIND: AZTECS AMONG NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS IN 2021
> San Diego State will alter its offensive approach during the 2022 campaign after a senior-laden team enjoyed an explosive season at the plate in 2021.
> Brian Leonhardt, Caden Miller and Cole Carrigg are the lone regulars from last year's squad that finished second in the nation with a .335 team batting average during the regular season and ranked third with 9.1 runs per game. 
> In addition, the Aztecs ranked seventh in the country with a collective .413 on-base percentage and 13th with 420 runs scored overall.
> Leonhardt finished with a career-high .305 batting average tied for third in the Mountain West with 47 RBIs last year. 
> Likewise, Miller enjoyed a banner season as well in 2021, compiling a personal-best .345 batting average while occupying the eighth spot in the conference with a .464 on-base percentage and the ninth position with 43 runs scored.
> SDSU will be tasked with filling the shoes of center fielder Matt Rudick (.409, 41 RBIs, 17 SB), right fielder Jaden Fein (.389, 19 2B, 53 RBIs), catcher Wyatt Hendrie (.379/.633/.464, 9 HR, 57 RBIs) and shortstop Mike Jarvis (.367, 17 2B, 32 RBI, 16 SB), all of whom were selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft last July, along with starting pitcher Michael Paredes (4-0, 65 Ks, 77.1 IP).

NEWCOMERS READY TO STEP IN
> San Diego State has added 15 newcomers for 2022, including 10 true freshmen, three Division I transfers and two junior college players.
> Among the Aztecs to start this weekend is infielder Alex Rodriguez, who utilized his redshirt season at USC in 2021 after graduating from Damien High School in La Verne, California, where he was a prep teammate of SDSU outfielder Shaun Montoya. Rodriguez was listed as the No. 20 shortstop in California for the class of 2020 by Perfect Game and was an all-Baseline League selection in 2018 and 2019.
> SDSU also expects a big splash from freshman outfielder Irvin Weems, who was ranked as the No. 4 outfielder and seventh-best player overall in Nevada for the class of 2021, according to Perfect Game. A graduate of Durango High School in Las Vegas, Weems earned first-team all-Southern Nevada honors by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as a senior after batting .561 (23-41) with four homers, nine doubles and 27 RBIs in just 15 games, according to MaxPreps. He also scored 20 runs and stole 13 bases in 16 attempts while posting a 1.121 slugging percentage and a .636 on-base percentage.
> Another freshman who has impressed in camp is outfielder Tyler Glowacki, a local product who brings a winning pedigree to The Mesa from nearby Santana High School, which captured the Grossmont Valley League championship in 2021 and advanced to the third round of CIF San Diego Section Open Division playoffs. Glowacki capped the year with an appearance in the CIF San Diego Section All-Star game at Petco Park. He earned a No. 21 ranking among outfielders in California for the class of 2021.
> Although he has been with the program for two years, Tino Bethancourt will see his first collegiate action for the Scarlet and Black this year in the infield. Bethancourt sat out as a redshirt in 2021 after graduating from Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, California, where his senior season was limited  to three games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to MaxPreps, he played 78 games during his prep career, batting .285 with three homers, 16 doubles, 37 RBIs and 50 runs scored while posting 12 stolen bases and a .427 on-base percentage.
> Likewise, right-handed pitcher Jadon Bercovich is another player who utilized his redshirt season in 2021 but looks ready to step into a relief role during the upcoming 2022 campaign. A graduate of Damonte Ranch High School in Reno, Nevada, Bercovich twice garnered all-conference accolades and was ranked as the No. 2 right-handed pitcher in that state for the class of 2020 by Perfect Game. He once set a school record with 13 strikeouts in a single game and also played for the Athletics squad at the prestigious Area Code games.
> Robert Brodell will be looking to secure a spot in the bullpen as well after playing two seasons at Imperial Valley College, where he struck out 59 batters in 53.1 innings on the mound. He ranked 23rd in the state as a freshman in 2019 with 10.31 strikeouts per nine innings. Brodell starred at Brawley Union High School, where he was a first-team all-conference selection and two-time MVP.  The right-handed hurler contributed to a team that won three straight Imperial Valley League championships to go with a CIF San Diego Section Division III title as junior in 2017. 
> Omar Serrano is another rookie pitcher who brings impressive credentials with him to The Mesa after a stellar prep career at Downey High School, where he earned all-CIF Southern Section Division IV honors as a senior after recording a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances with 85 strikeouts in 70.0 innings, according to MaxPreps. Serrano tossed three shutouts in five of his victories that season, including a perfect game vs. Westlake in the first round of the CIF playoffs.
> UC Irvine transfer Shaun Montoya and utility player Johnny Giannola are two redshirt freshmen who will be vying for playing time as well this season after sitting out the 2021 season.

GOING, GOING, GONE
> San Diego State homered in 29 of 46 games last season, posting a 21-8 record in those contests.
> The Aztecs have emerged victorious in 43 of their last 59 games dating back to 2019 when launching one out of the park.
> The Aztecs went 17-5 during the 2019 campaign when going yard and 5-2 in 2020.

DELIVERING IN CRUNCH TIME
> The Aztecs batted .347 with two outs last season (190-547), 12 percentage points higher than their team average of .335 for the year.
> In addition, SDSU compiled nearly 43 percent of its RBI total (162/380) with two outs in 2021.
> The Aztecs were 5-1 in walk-off games last year and 4-0 in extra-inning contests.

OTHER TRENDS
> The Aztecs are 95-18 in their last 113 games when scoring five or more runs, including a stellar 29-6 record last year after posting a 6-2 mark in 2020.
> San Diego State is 59-24 in its last 83 games following a loss, including an 11-5 mark in 2021. The Scarlet and Black is off to a 1-1 start this season in games following a loss.
> The Aztecs had their 29-game winning streak snapped when leading after six innings in the series finale against San Diego on Feb. 21, 2021.
> On the flip side, SDSU put the brakes a 41-game losing streak when trailing after seven innings the previous day vs. the Toreros.
> After scoring six runs in the bottom of the ninth in their dramatic 10-9 victory over New Mexico on April 2, 2021, the Aztecs snapped a 46-game losing streak when trailing after eight innings dating back to March 20, 2018, when SDSU rallied to beat CSU Bakersfield at home, 5-4.
> Conversely, after UNLV registered an 11-10 comeback victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader in Las Vegas on May 15, 2021, the Aztecs had their 45-game winning streak halted when leading after eight innings. Prior to that game, SDSU's last loss when leading after the eighth occurred on March 10, 2019 in a 6-5 defeat to Nevada at home in 10 innings. 

MR. UTILITY
> Cole Carrigg displayed his versatility in his first year on The Mesa in 2021, appearing in six different positions for the Aztecs.
> The Turlock, California, native made 21 starts at third, five in left field, three in center, three at second base and one at designated hitter.
> Not to be outdone, Carrigg has made two appearances as a relief pitcher, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.
> During a three-game series at Air Force in the penultimate weekend of the regular season, Carrigg hit .545 (6-11) with five RBIs and seven runs scored.

STRIKEOUTS GALORE
> San Diego State has recorded double-digit strikeouts, including a season-high 13 in their last outing at UC Irvine on Feb. 22.
> Against the Anteaters, redshirt sophomore Jonny Guzman fanned a career-best nine hitters in his first collegiate start. 
> In addition, the Aztecs' three previous starters have each recorded collegiate-high strikeout totals: TJ Fondtain (5 vs. TCU), Kelena Sauer (6 vs. Houston) and Jacob Flores (6 vs. Cal).
> SDSU recorded 27 games with 10 or more strikeouts during the 2019 campaign, marking the most double-digit strikeout performances for the Scarlet and Black in the MW era (since 2000). SDSU surpassed the previous MW record of 23 set in a 10-6 win at Fresno State on May 11, 2019.
> Last season, the Scarlet and Black registered 10 or more strikeouts in 18 games, notching a 15-3 record in those contests. 
> The Aztecs posted double-digit strikeouts in their last six home games of the 2021 campaign, including a combined 33 Ks in their three-game sweep over San José State, May 8-9, 2021.
> Previously, in San Diego State's sweep of Dixie State, April 24-25, 2021, Trailblazer hitters were punched out 42 times during the series, including 15 in the doubleheader opener, which marked a season-high for the SDSU staff.
> During the shortened 2020 season, the SDSU pitching staff completed seven games with 10 strikeouts: vs. Virginia Tech, Cal State Fullerton, Iowa, Nebraska, at UC Irvine and twice against Oregon State. Not surprisingly, the Scarlet and Black went 6-1 in those contests.
> Dating back to 2019, the Aztecs are 38-18 in their last 56 games when striking out 10 or more batters.

LOCAL HEROES
> San Diego State boasts 11 players on its current roster who are alumni of San Diego County high schools, including Brian Leonhardt and Ricky Tibbett (Eastlake); Fisher Pyatt and Charlie Rhee (St. Augustine); Joseph Ingrassia (Valhalla); Trevor Hazelhurst (Granite Hills), Deron Johnson (Poway); Evan Sipe (San Marcos); Poncho Ruiz (Mater Dei Catholic), Tyler Glowacki (Santana) and Hunter Hargett (Point Loma).

AZTECS IN MLB DRAFT
> Since 1965, San Diego State has had 223 student-athletes chosen in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
> In 2021, the Aztecs had five players picked in the MLB Draft, giving the Scarlet and Black 28 selections overall since 2015.
> Infielder Mike Jarvis was selected by Pittsburgh in the sixth round with the 163rd pick, while catcher Wyatt Hendrie also went to the Pirates shortly thereafter in the seventh round in the 193rd spot overall.
> In addition, the New York Mets grabbed center fielder Matt Rudick in the 13th round (382nd overall); right fielder Jaden Fein was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 15th round (443rd overall), while right-handed pitcher Michael Paredes was snapped up by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round (549th overall).
> SDSU's five MLB Draft picks in 2021 were the most by a Mountain West school after Fresno State and New Mexico had two apiece, followed by Nevada, San José State and UNLV with one each.

MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO
>  After a one-year hiatus, the Mountain West Championship returns this season and will be conducted at Tony Gwynn Stadium, May 26-28. The top four teams in the MW regular-season standings will qualify for the double elimination tournament, with the winner receiving an automatic berth into NCAA regional competition. NCAA Regionals will be held June 3-5.
>  SDSU has hosted the MW Championship on four previous occasions, most recently after the 2018 season when the Aztecs claimed their fifth conference crown in a six-year span.