SAN DIEGO – San Diego State continues its homestand this weekend when it battles Nevada in a three-game Mountain West series, April 21-23, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The first two games pitting the Aztecs against the Wolf Pack are slated for a 6 p.m. PT start on Friday and Saturday, while Sunday's finale is set to get underway at 1 p.m. Nevada (home) and Fresno State (away) are the two teams San Diego State will play just one series against during the 2023 regular season.
Live stats will be available throughout the weekend, while Friday's clash is scheduled to air live on the Mountain West Network. Links to both platforms can be accessed on GoAztecs.com.
SDSU is projected to utilize the starting rotation of left-handers TJ Fondtain (3-2, 3.42 ERA), Chris Canada (1-4, 5.40 ERA) and right-hander Omar Serrano (0-3, 4.88 ERA) in succession, while Nevada is expected to counter with the right-handed trio of Kade Morris (3-4, 5.37 ERA), Jason Doktorczyk (2-2, 5.77 ERA) and Peyton Stumbo (2-3, 4.71 ERA).
Entering the weekend, the Aztecs (14-19, 8-5 MW) are slotted second in the Mountain West standings, two games behind front-runner San José State (18-15, 11-4 MW), while Fresno State occupies the third position (18-17, 9-8 MW), followed by Air Force (16-23, 9-9 MW).
The Spartans and Bulldogs will square off four times in Fresno this week, including the completion of a previously postponed game in San Jose, while the Falcons play host to New Mexico.
SDSU is coming off a 1-0 shutout of San Diego at home on Tuesday. Eight pitchers combined on a two-hitter with nine strikeouts against the Toreros, as the Scarlet and Black posted its first whitewash of its crosstown adversary since a 3-0 blanking at USD's Fowler Park on May 5, 2015.
Cole Carrigg belted a solo home run in the bottom of the first to account for the game's only score, helping the Aztecs snap a three-game losing streak to the Toreros.
SDSU's shutout was also its second of the season after an 11-0 romp over Air Force in the opening game of a weekend series at home on March 24. Additionally, the Aztecs' two hits allowed were the fewest since the Scarlet and Black also gave up a pair in an 8-3 Senior Day triumph vs. San José State on May 9, 2021.
Following Tuesday's victory, the Aztecs lead the Mountain West in team ERA (4.71), opposing batting average (.257), strikeouts (308) and fewest hits allowed (280). SDSU also finds itself perched atop the conference with 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks 53rd in the country.
Individually, Fondtain occupies the second spot in the MW with 55 strikeouts and 52 2/3 innings pitched while ranking fourth in opposing batting average (.234) and sixth in ERA (3.42). In his last outing at Fresno State on April 14, the SDSU junior gave up three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six batters in a season-long 7 2/3 innings but did not factor in the decision.
In a home start against Nevada last season, Fondtain pitched his second complete game, offsetting five hits and five walks with eight strikeouts, as the Scarlet and Black prevailed by a 9-2 count. For his efforts, he collected his second straight MW Pitcher of the Week award and third of the year. The Clovis, California, native also became the first SDSU pitcher to post back-to-back complete games since Dominic Purpura posted consecutive wins late in the 2016 campaign.
Over his last five starts, Fondtain has cut his ERA in half from 6.86 to 3.42, recording 35 strikeouts against eight walks in a combined 33 innings. Earlier this season, the Clovis, California, native matched his career high with nine strikeouts against San José State on March 10.
Entering the series, Canada is tied for fifth in the league with 46 strikeouts and shares the sixth spot in fewest hits allowed (42). In back-to-back starts against Air Force (March 25) and New Mexico (April 1), the Aztec sophomore matched his career best with nine strikeouts. Canada started once against the Wolf Pack last year, yielding four runs on three hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Serrano, meanwhile, established career highs with nine strikeouts and 5 1/3 innings pitched in the series finale last weekend at Fresno State but did not factor in the decision.
Elsewhere, Kelena Sauer shares the top spot in the MW with a career-high seven saves, which is tied for 15th in the country, while his 15 games finished also tops the league. Additionally, the SDSU right-hander is tied for fourth in the conference in appearances (16), two behind teammate Eldridge Armstrong III (18), who is tied for the second spot. Against UCSD on April 11, Armstrong struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his first career save.
As of April 20, SDSU leads the Mountain West with 1.52 stolen bases per game and 50 overall, which rank 71st and 84th in the nation, respectively. In addition, the Aztecs are slotted sixth in the conference in batting average (.260), on-base percentage (.349) and slugging percentage (.394).
Individually, Shaun Montoya is perched atop the MW with 14 stolen bases, while his league-leading 0.44 stolen bases per game ranks 99th in the country. In addition, the SDSU outfielder is slotted sixth in the conference with a .426 on-base percentage and 13th with a .325 batting average, sandwiched in the rankings between teammates Cole Carrigg (9th, .345) and Caden Miller (18th, .318).
Along with Montoya, Carrigg (T-2nd, 9) is one of three Aztecs among the league's top 10 in stolen bases, joining Irvin Weems (T-5th, 8), while Fondtain (6) and Poncho Ruiz (31) are tied for the sixth and ninth spots in home runs and RBIs, respectively.
Carrigg has hit safely in nine straight games, batting .371 (13-35) with five stolen bases and 10 runs scored. The Aztec outfielder has also compiled a .405 on-base percentage and a .600 hitting percentage in that stretch.
Ruiz leads the Scarlet and Black with multiple hits in 15 games and is perched atop the squad with two or more RBIs in nine contests.
Defensively, the Aztecs lead the Mountain West with fewest stolen bases against (21) and are tied for the top spot with seven runners picked off.
Nevada (15-19, 6-11 MW) finds itself in the conference basement entering its series with SDSU. However, the Wolf Pack took the final two games of a home set against Air Force last weekend, posting scores of 16-8 and 6-3 after falling in the opener by 7-2 count.
For the season, Nevada is 9-8 at home, 6-10 on the road and 0-1 on a neutral diamond.
Wolf Pack pitchers occupy the second spot in the MW in strikeouts (306) while ranking fourth in opposing batting average (.274) and fifth in ERA (5.62).
Friday's starter Kade Morris is slotted third in the conference with 55 strikeouts, while Saturday's hurler Jason Doktorczyk is tied for the seventh spot with 42 in that category. In addition, Sunday's projected starter Peyton Stumbo finds himself among the MW leaders in opponent batting average (6th, .250) and ERA (8th, 4.71).
Out of the bullpen, right-hander Kolby Kmetko ranks third in the MW with six saves.
Offensively, Nevada is slotted third with 35 home runs while occupying the fifth position in batting average (.269), on-base percentage (.358), slugging percentage (.431) and runs scored (198).
Catcher Matt Clayton sits among the league leaders in several categories, including total bases (T-3rd, 76), doubles (T-3rd, 13), hits (T-6th, 45), home runs (T-6th, 6) and batting average (11th, .338), while utility player Nolan Wilson is batting .320 with three homers and 22 RBIs. Wilson is tied for sixth in the MW with 12 doubles.
Wolf Pack outfielder/pitcher Kyle Becker was a prep teammate of SDSU freshman DJ Cardinal at Del Norte High School.
After posting a 2-4 record against Nevada during the 2022 campaign, San Diego State trails the all-time series 25-39. The two programs first met in 1986. The Aztecs are 12-16 vs. the Wolf Pack in San Diego, 9-20 in Reno and 4-3 at a neutral site.
During Mark Martinez's nine-year tenure as head coach on The Mesa, SDSU has compiled a 13-25 record against Nevada, including a 6-12 mark at home and a 7-13 ledger on the road.
In Martinez's first season at the helm of the Aztecs in 2015, the Scarlet and Black defeated the No. 23 Wolf Pack, 9-7, on its home field at the Mountain West Championship, posting the second of five straight victories en route to the tournament crown.
In six games against Nevada last season, Poncho Ruiz hit .458 (11-24) with one home run, four doubles, four RBIs and seven runs scored.
Following this weekend's series, San Diego State continues its homestand with a midweek clash vs. UC Irvine on Tuesday, April 25, at Tony Gwynn Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PT.
Aztecs Ready for Home Series vs. Nevada
