SAN DIEGO – San Diego State jumps back into action on Tuesday when it makes the short trip across town to battle UC San Diego in a single game at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla, starting at 6 p.m. PT.
In addition to live stats, a link to streaming video via ESPN+ will be available on GoAztecs.com. However, probable pitching matchups were not determined at press time.
Tuesday's Aztecs-Tritons clash marks the inaugural meeting in the newly christened Trolley Series. With the completion of the MTS Blue Line Trolley extension to UC San Diego, coupled with San Diego State's prime stop along the Green Line Trolley, both campuses have direct access to the San Diego MTS Trolley's network of routes operating throughout the San Diego area.
The Aztecs will battle UCSD on four occasions during the 2022 campaign, with the Scarlet and Black venturing to La Jolla on March 22 and April 19, while the Tritons invade Tony Gwynn Stadium on March 29 and May 3. Both programs are working on promotional opportunities with MTS and are encouraging fans to ride the Trolley to watch the two teams play.
San Diego State dropped three one-run games in its series at San José State this past weekend to fall to 4-15 on the year.
In the opener last Friday, Aztec pitchers Troy Melton and Jacob Flores combined on a four-hitter, but the Spartans ultimately prevailed, 3-2, on the strength of a solo homer in the seventh. SJSU tallied two unearned runs in the third before SDSU answered with a pair of markers on Cole Carrigg's two-run triple with two outs in the fifth.
The Aztecs were also snake-bit in the final two games of the series on Sunday, as the Spartans hung on for an 8-7 victory in the completion of Saturday's rain-suspended contest after a late SDSU rally fell short. Later in the afternoon, the Scarlet and Black was victimized by four extra base hits, including two home runs, as San José State overcame a 6-1 deficit and eventually won by a 9-8 score on a passed ball in the ninth.
Outfielder Irvin Weems started the final two games against the Spartans and led the Aztecs with a .500 batting average while topping the squad in hits (5) and slugging percentage (.800). In Saturday's contest, the SDSU freshman recorded his first collegiate homer before stealing his first career base in the finale.
The Aztecs also received home runs from Carrigg, Deron Johnson and Tino Bethancourt, the latter of whom went yard for the first time in a Scarlet and Black uniform.
For the season, Carrigg leads the team with a .328 batting average and 22 hits while ranking second with 10 RBIs, trailing only Poncho Ruiz (11). In addition, Caden Miller (.298) tops the squad with six stolen bases and 11 runs scored.
Carrigg owns a current seven-game hitting streak, raising his average from .263 to .328 during that span, and has reached safely in nine straight outings. In addition, the SDSU sophomore has compiled multiple hits in six games to share the team lead with Miller while posting two RBIs in four contests.
Despite a modest record, the SDSU pitching staff leads the Mountain West as of March 20 with 187 strikeouts and a .250 opposing team batting average while occupying the second spot with a collective 4.27 ERA. The Aztecs are also perched atop the conference with 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks 68th in the nation.
UC San Diego (7-12) also encountered rough waters of late until it snapped a 10-game losing streak with an 8-7 shaving of Connecticut in the finale of weekend series on Monday. In that contest, Ryan McNally scored on Michael Fuhrman's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to break a 7-7 tie.
Following Monday's game, infielder Jalen Smith ranked seventh in the Big West with a team-high .344 batting average, while outfielder Austin Smith (no relation) landed in the 15th position with a .310 clip.
Collectively, the Tritons are tied for second in the conference with a .268 batting average while ranking fourth in home runs (13) and fifth in RBIs (92).
On the mound, UCSD finds itself among the Big West leaders in opposing team batting average (4th, .258) and strikeouts (5th, 165), but ranks seventh in ERA (5.05).
SDSU won three of four games against the Tritons during the 2021 season to raise its record to 23-4 in the all-time series that dates back to 1971.
The Aztecs split the first two games at Tony Gwynn Stadium, posting a 10-4 come-from-behind victory in the opener before dropping a 9-3 decision on the second day. The scene shifted to Triton Ballpark, where the Scarlet and Black completed a doubleheader sweep, notching a 7-5 triumph in 11 innings in game one before closing out the weekend in style with a 13-6 conquest in the nightcap.
SDSU had eight different players record multiple hits at least once in the series, including current Aztecs Brian Leonhardt (twice) and Cole Carrigg (once). Similarly, seven players for the Scarlet and Black registered multiple RBIs in the series, including Leonhardt (twice) Carrigg (once) and Poncho Ruiz (once).
In game one of the aforementioned twin bill at UCSD, Leonhardt provided the winning margin with a clutch two-run single with two outs in the top of the 11th. The Eastlake High alumnus continued his offensive prowess in the nightcap, belting two-run homer in the third before adding a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Following Tuesday's festivities, San Diego State returns to Mountain West competition this weekend when it welcomes Fresno State to "America's Finest City" for a three-game series, March 25-27, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Aztecs to Usher in Trolley Series at UCSD Tuesday
