2023 Mountain West Championship
May 25-28 | Fresno, Calif.
Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
Tournament Preview
(For complete release, click on PDF link on the side of this page)
Game One | Thursday, May 25 | 1:30 p.m. PT
[3] Air Force (26-29, 17-13 MW)
vs. [2] San Diego State (24-27, 18-11 MW)
Probable Pitching Matchup
Air Force - RHP Sawyer Hawks (3-0, 3.02 ERA, 60 SO, 44.2 IP)
San Diego State - RHP Jadon Bercovich (0-1, 3.18 ERA, 5 SO, 5.2 IP)
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State begins its quest for a seventh Mountain West tournament championship and 29th conference title overall when the Aztecs square off against Air Force on Thursday at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium in Fresno, California.
> Thursday's clash is slated to get underway at 1:30 p.m. PT and will air live on the Mountain West Network. Links to the MWN and live stats will be available on GoAztecs.com.
> Fans can also watch the MW Baseball Championship via the free Mountain West app on their phones or connected TVs through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV or Roku. Mobile applications can be downloaded from the iOS App Store and Google Play.
> SDSU swept a three-game home series against New Mexico, May 18-20, to clinch a share of the Mountain West regular-season championship with San José State.
> However, the Spartans gained the No. 1 seed by virtue of winning three of fives games vs. the Aztecs during the 2023 campaign. As a result, SDSU received the No. 2 seed for this week's double-elimination tournament.
> If the Aztecs defeat the Falcons, they will face the winner of the Fresno State-San José State game on Friday at 6 p.m. PT.
> If SDSU falls to Air Force, it will play the loser of the Bulldogs-Spartans matchup at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.
> The Aztecs have split six games against the Falcons during the 2023 campaign, with each side winning two of three games on its respective home diamond.
SETTING THE SCENE
> San Diego State is making its conference-leading 21st appearance at the Mountain West Championship and its seventh as the tournament's second-seeded team.
> The Aztecs have posted a league-record 50 victories (50-32) in MW postseason play and have compiled an 18-6 mark as the No. 2 seed. Against this year's field, the Scarlet and Black is 13-3.
> Not to be outdone, SDSU has won a conference-record six Mountain West tournament championships in 2000, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018, with the Aztecs winning their last three titles as the second seed.
> SDSU head coach Mark Martinez has logged an 18-7 record at the MW Championship. With the Aztecs' crown in 2018, Martinez became the fastest coach in Mountain West baseball history to win three postseason titles.
MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT HISTORY
> Below is a list of teams that have captured Mountain West tournament titles:
1. San Diego State - 6 (2000-13-14-15-17-18)
2. TCU - 4 (2006-07-08-10)
3. New Mexico - 3 (2011-12-16)
4. UNLV - 3 (2003-04-05)
5. Brigham Young - 2 (2001-02)
6. Utah - 1 (2009)
7. Fresno State - 1 (2019)
8. Air Force - 1 (2023)
SDSU IN MW RANKINGS
> Entering the weekend, San Diego State pitchers lead the Mountain West in ERA (4.72), opposing batting average (.247), strikeouts (475), fewest hits allowed (411) and fewest earned runs allowed (231).
> On the national level, SDSU's per-nine-inning averages of 8.40 hits allowed and 9.7 strikeouts rank 33rd and 39th, respectively. In addition, the Aztecs are slotted 44th in the country in WHIP (1.39) and 47th in ERA (4.72).
> Individually, TJ Fondtain (7-3) leads the league in ERA (2.80), opponent batting average (.193) and innings pitched (86.2) while sharing the top spot in victories (7) and occupying the second spot in strikeouts (93). Among national leaders, the Aztec junior ranks 19th in hits allowed per nine innings (6.23) and 35th in ERA (2.80) while tying for 36th in strikeouts (93).
> In his last 10 pitching starts dating back to March 17, Fondtain has posted a 6-2 record with a 1.61 ERA, striking out 73 batters against just 16 walks in 67.0 innings of work. As a team, the Aztecs have won eight of those 10 contests, outscoring the opposition by a 45-24 margin.
> In addition, right-hander Omar Serrano (1-5) leads the Mountain West in fewest hits allowed (46) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.53) while ranking fourth in both hits allowed per nine innings (7.81) and opposing batting average (.237). He also shares the fourth position in fewest walks allowed (21).
> Another left-hander Chris Canada (3-5) ranks second in strikeouts per nine innings (10.51) while occupying the fifth spot in strikeouts (72) while ranking eighth in opposing batting average.
> Among the relief corps, Kelena Sauer is perched atop the conference with a career-high 12 saves, which is tied for fifth in the country, while his 24 games finished also leads the league. Additionally, the SDSU junior is tied for third with Ricky Tibbett in appearances (26), three behind another teammate Eldridge Armstrong III (29), who owns the top spot.
> As of May 24, the Aztecs lead the Mountain West with 1.39 stolen bases per game and 71 overall.
> Individually, Cole Carrigg ranks 16th in the Mountain West with a team-best .313 batting average. The Aztec junior also leads the league with 17 stolen bases and shares the top spot with five triples, which is tied for 24th nationally.
> Additionally, Shaun Montoya ranks second in the conference with 16 stolen bases, while Cade Martinez is slotted third with eight sacrifice hits, which is tied for 44th in the country.
> Defensively, San Diego State leads the MW with fewest stolen bases against (26) and runners picked off (8).
SERIES RECORD VS. AIR FORCE
> Despite dropping two of three games to the Falcons at the Academy earlier this month, San Diego State still holds a sizable 121-35 lead in the all-time series dating back to 1961.
> The Falcons are one of five teams which the Aztecs have recorded 100 wins against, while the other four are New Mexico (132), Fresno State (109), Utah (104) and UNLV (101).
> SDSU is 67-13 vs. Air Force in San Diego and 47-22 at the Academy. In addition, the Aztecs have won all seven meetings at neutral sites.
> During Mark Martinez's nine-year tenure as head coach on The Mesa, SDSU sports a 27-14 record against the Falcons including a 16-6 mark at home, a 10-8 ledger on the road and a 1-0 record on a neutral field.
> The Aztecs are 7-0 against Air Force in Mountain West Championship history, posting an 8-2 triumph at Peccole Park in Reno, Nevada in 2015, which marked the last postseason meeting between the two squads.
> In 2023, SDSU and Air Force took two of three games on their respective home diamonds, as the team split the season series, 3-3.
> Against the Falcons at Tony Gwynn Stadium, March 23-25, the Aztecs won handily by scores of 11-0 and 13-1 in the first two games before suffering a 12-6 setback in the finale.
> Irvin Weems was named Mountain West Player of the Week following that series after batting .500 (5-10) with five RBIs, five runs scored and one stolen base in three games. Along with sharing the team lead in RBIs and runs scored, the SDSU designated hitter drew five walks, propelling him into the top perch on the squad with a .667 on-base percentage for the weekend.
> In addition, the Aztecs received a pair of strong pitching performances from TJ Fondtain and Chris Canada in those two victories in San Diego.
> Fondtain picked up his second win of the season and combined for his second career shutout, scattering four hits and three walks in six-plus innings to go with eight strikeouts, while Canada (1-2) notched his first victory of the year after setting a career high with nine strikeouts in six innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits and a trio of walks.
> The Falcons flipped the script at the Academy earlier this month, emerging triumphant by scores of 4-2 and 16-10 sandwiched around a 5-4 defeat.
> In six games against Air Force this season, Weems batted a combined .524 (11-21) with six doubles, one triple, 11 RBIs and six runs scored while adding a pair of stolen bases. He also finished with a .905 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage.
> Four other Aztec players hit over .300 vs. the Falcons for the year, including Fondtain (.381, 1 HR, 8 RBI), Cole Carrigg (.321, 9 runs, 4 RBIs, 4 SB), Xavier Gonzalez (.320) and Caden Miller (.304).
> As a team, SDSU out-hit the Falcons in their head-to-head meetings, .318 to .290, and maintained a 47-37 advantage in runs scored while recording 12 stolen bases.
> In 14 career games vs. Air Force, Carrigg is batting .411 (23-56) with one homer, one triple, three doubles, 13 RBIs, 22 runs scored and seven stolen bases, while Weems is hitting .371 in nine career starts with seven doubles, 11 RBIs and nine runs scored.
> In three career pitching appearances against the Falcons, Fondtain owns a 2-1 record with a scant 0.86 ERA and 21 strikeouts against six walks in 21.0 innings.
> In addition, Canada has posted a 1-0 record in three career starts vs. Air Force with a 2.65 ERA and 22 strikeouts against eight walks in 17.0 innings. Against the Falcons at Tony Gwynn Stadium on March 25, he set a career high with nine strikeouts in the Scarlet and Black's 13-1 romp before matching that total one week later at New Mexico.
SERIES RECORD VS. SAN JOSÉ STATE
> San Diego State holds a sizable 86-42 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1938.
> The Aztecs' 44-game advantage in head-to-head meetings vs. San José State ranks as the fourth-largest spread against a single opponent in program history behind Air Force (121-35), Utah (104-35) and UC Santa Barbara (84-29-1).
> SDSU is 47-17 against the Spartans in San Diego and 34-25 on the road. In addition, the Aztecs have won all five meetings vs. SJSU on a neutral field.
> Since San José State joined the Mountain West during the 2013-14 academic year, San Diego State is 34-16 vs. the Spartans, capturing 12 of 15 series played between the two teams and winning three conference tournament games.
> During Mark Martinez's nine-year tenure as head coach on The Mesa, SDSU sports a 29-14 record against the Spartans, including a 15-6 mark at home, a 12-8 ledger on the road and a 2-0 record at a neutral park.
> The Aztecs are 3-0 against San José State in Mountain West Championship history, recording a 2-1 triumph at Tony Gwynn Stadium in 2018, which marked the last postseason meeting between the two squads.
> SDSU went 2-2 in four encounters with the Spartans in the Bay Area earlier this month, May 5-7, opening with a 5-3 victory in the completion of a suspended game from March 10 in San Diego. The following day, the Aztecs split a twin bill against SJSU, posting a 5-0 whitewash in the opener before witnessing a 4-0 reversal of fortune in the nightcap. The Scarlet and Black was upended in the finale by a 7-2 count, as the Spartans scored six unanswered runs to pull away for the win.
> In their lone meeting of the season in San Diego on March 10, San José State prevailed by a 7-4 count, scoring six unanswered runs to erase a 4-1 deficit.
> In five games vs. the Spartans this year, Caden Miller hit .308 (4-13), while Cole Carrigg drove in five runs.
> Irvin Weems has batted .382 (13-34) in nine career games vs. SJSU with two homers, seven RBIs, seven runs scored and six stolen bases.
SERIES RECORD VS. FRESNO STATE
> The Aztecs, who have faced Fresno State more than any other team in school history, own an all-time record of 109-111 against the Bulldogs in a series dating back to 1939.
> SDSU is 51-56 against Fresno State in San Diego, 51-52 in Fresno and 7-3 at neutral sites.
> During Mark Martinez's nine-year tenure as head coach on The Mesa, SDSU is 19-22 vs. the Bulldogs, including a 7-11 mark at home, an 11-10 ledger on the road and a 1-1 record on a neutral field.
> In Martinez's first year at the helm of the Aztecs in 2015, the Scarlet and Black split two games with Fresno State at the Mountain West Championship, dropping the opener, 15-7, before rebounding in game four with a 7-6 victory in 10 innings en route to the capturing the tournament crown.
> SDSU dropped two of three games at Fresno State last month, April 14-16, falling short in the final two contests by scores of 4-0 and 5-4 after winning the opener in 10 innings by a 4-3 count.
> Cole Carrigg (.417), Xavier Gonzalez (.400), Shaun Montoya (.400) and Poncho Ruiz (.333) combined to hit .386 (17-44) in the Bulldog series with two homers, five RBIs, five runs scored and just four strikeouts, while the rest of the team batted a collective .118 (6-51) with three RBIs, two runs scored and 22 strikeouts.
> In 15 career games vs. Fresno State, Caden Miller is hitting .411 (21-51) with one homer, eight RBIs and 12 runs scored.
STRIKEOUTS GALORE
> Dating back to 2019, San Diego State is 64-40 in its last 104 games when striking out 10 or more batters.
> In 2023, Aztecs pitchers have posted 10 or more strikeouts on 25 occasions, including their last four games.
> SDSU pitchers fanned a season-best 14 batters against Washington State in the Tony Gwynn Legacy on Feb. 24, while TJ Fondtain matched that total himself in his no-hitter on April 21 vs. Nevada to set a career high.
> Entering the tournament, SDSU leads the Mountain West with 475 strikeouts and an average of 9.7 punchouts per nine innings, which ranks 39th in the country.
> Individually, Fondtain ranks second in the conference with 93 strikeouts, which is tied for 36th in the nation, while Chris Canada is slotted fifth in the league with 72 punchouts of his own.
> In addition, Omar Serrano (10.53) and Canada (10.51) occupy the top two spots in the MW in strikeouts per nine innings.
> San Diego State recorded double-digit strikeouts in 21of 56 games last year, including a season-high 21 in a 15-inning home loss to Hawai'i on Feb. 28, 2022.
> SDSU completed 27 games with 10 or more strikeouts during the 2019 season, 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.
> In 2021, the Scarlet and Black registered 10 or more strikeouts in 18 games, notching a 15-3 record in those contests.
GOING, GOING, GONE
> San Diego State has emerged victorious in 62 of its last 101 games dating back to 2019 when launching one out of the park, including a 14-11 mark during the 2023 season.
> During an admittedly down year in 2022, the Aztecs logged a 7-14 record in games when they hit a home run.
> Previously, the Scarlet and Black homered in 29 of 46 games during the 2021 campaign, posting a 21-8 record in those contests.
> In addition, SDSU went 17-5 during the 2019 season when going yard and 5-2 in the shortened 2020 campaign.
OTHER TRENDS
> The Aztecs are 152-42 over the last seven seasons when scoring five or more runs, including a stellar 38-6 record during the 2017 campaign.
> SDSU has won 10 straight games when scoring at least five runs, suffering its last loss in that category in a 12-6 setback to Air Force at home on March 26.
> San Diego State is 80-61 in its last 141 games following a loss, including a 7-7 mark after its last 14 defeats.
STREAKING AZTECS
> Cole Carrigg currently owns the team's longest hitting streak at seven games. Previously, the Aztec outfielder possessed the squad's longest hit streak of the season at 12 games from March 24-April 23.
> Irvin Weems had his streak of reaching base safely snapped at 22 games in SDSU's 4-3 victory over New Mexico on May 19. The following day, Weems went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, two runs scored and a stolen base.
> Poncho Ruiz leads the Aztecs with multiple hits in 18 games this season, followed by Caden Miller (14), Shaun Montoya (14) and TJ Fondtain (14).
> Additionally, Ruiz tops the squad with two or more RBIs in 11 games this year, followed closely by Fondtain (10).
SDSU CAREER SAVE LEADERS
1. Royce Ring (2000-02) - 26
2. Addison Reed (2008-10) - 24
3. CJ Saylor (2014-17) - 24
4. Casey Schmitt (2018-20) - 23
5. Michael Cederoth (2011-14) - 20
6. Kelena Sauer (2021-present) - 18
7. Mark Williamson (1981-82) - 17
X MARKS THE SPOT
> Shortstop Xavier Gonzalez has enjoyed a productive month at the plate, batting .351 in 10 games with two doubles, seven RBIs and three runs scored.
> In the series finale vs. New Mexico on May 20, the Chula Vista native went 3-for-3 with a walk, 2 RBIs, one run scored and a stolen base, helping the Aztecs clinch a share of the Mountain West regular-season title.
> From April 6-April 30, Gonzalez played 16 games without making an error, his longest stretch of the season.
> Gonzalez is the lone Aztec to start all 51 games at one position during the 2023 campaign.
HEAD COACH MARK MARTINEZ
> Mark Martinez is in his ninth season as head coach of the Aztecs and 18th overall as a member of the San Diego State staff after succeeding the late Tony Gwynn on August 20, 2014. He is just the fifth head coach in SDSU history since baseball was elevated to major sport status in 1936.
> During his tenure as the Aztecs' head coach, Martinez has compiled a 257-215 record, highlighted by three Mountain West tournament championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
> Since 2015, SDSU has garnered 41 all-Mountain West accolades under Martinez's tutelage, including MW Pitchers of the Year Brett Seeburger (2017), Garrett Hill (co-2018) and Troy Melton (co-2022), as well as 2017 MW Player of the Year Danny Sheehan and 2022 MW Co-Freshman of the Year Irvin Weems.
> Additionally, Martinez has mentored three freshman All-Americans in Chase Calabuig (2015), Casey Schmitt (2018) and Jaden Fein (2019), with the latter also receiving Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year distinction that season.
> Along with on-field success, the Aztecs have excelled academically during Martinez's tenure, posting the highest APR and the best team GPA in the history of the program. Over the past eight years, SDSU has had 69 players earn Mountain West all-academic honors while setting team records for the number of scholar-athletes.
> In 2017, Martinez recorded his 100th victory for the Scarlet and Black, becoming the fastest head coach in program history to reach the century mark in wins.
> Not to be outdone, Martinez also became the fastest head coach in Mountain West history to win three conference championships when the Aztecs captured the title in 2018.
> Martinez was hired as an assistant coach for the Aztecs in July of 2005 and served for nine years under head coach Tony Gwynn. During that time, he was promoted to the position of associate head coach.
> Since Martinez's arrival on The Mesa, the Aztecs have had 50 student-athletes chosen in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, with 13 of those selections making the big leagues (Stephen Strasburg, Addison Reed, Justin Masterson, Bruce Billings, Quintin Berry, Lance Zawadzki, Greg Allen, Ty France, Seby Zavala, Alan Trejo, Garrett Hill, David Hensley and Casey Schmitt).
> Prior to his arrival at San Diego State, Martinez was an assistant coach at New Mexico for 17 seasons from 1989-2005. During his time as a hitting and infield coach, he helped develop the Lobos into one of the most prominent offensive teams in the country, with UNM ranking among the top 11 nationally in hitting over his final four seasons.
> Martinez served as an assistant at his alma mater, Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) in Grand Junction, Colorado, from 1984-88. He played shortstop at the school from 1982-84, earning all-conference and all-district honors as a senior.
> Martinez graduated from Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa) with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1984 and completed his master's in sports administration at New Mexico in 1990.
> During the 2021-22 offseason, Martinez signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him at San Diego State through the 2026 season.
Aztecs Set for MW Tourney Opener vs. Air Force
