SAN DIEGO – San Diego State closes out its five-game homestand on Tuesday, March 12, when it welcomes UC Riverside to Tony Gwynn Stadium, beginning at 6 p.m. PT. In addition to live stats, a link to streaming video will be available on GoAztecs.com.
Tuesday's contest will open as a battle of left-handers, with freshman Garvey Rumary (0-1, 2.19 ERA, 17 SO) expected to take the mound for the Aztecs, while Jake Gebb (1-1, 9.72 ERA, 15 SO) is scheduled to get the call for UCR.
Rumary has appeared in seven games for the Aztecs this season, allowing four runs (three earned) on 14 hits and four walks in 12 1/3 innings while posting 17 strikeouts. The Yorba Linda, California native made his first collegiate start in SDSU's 9-2 loss to San Diego on March 5, posting a career-high four strikeouts in four innings of work but did not factor in the decision after yielding one run on three hits and four walks.
Rumary also pitched against the Highlanders in Riverside on Feb. 27, fanning all three batters he faced in the fifth inning.
Meanwhile, Gebb has made four starts for UCR this spring, posting a 1-1 record with a 9.72 ERA, giving up 26 hits and nine walks in 16 2/3 innings while logging 15 strikeouts. The Pleasanton, California, native picked up his first victory of the year against Pepperdine on March 3, when he matched his season-high with six strikeouts in five innings despite allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks, as the Highlanders pulled away for a 13-6 triumph in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Aztecs (5-10, 2-4 MW) dropped two out of three games to Nevada in a Mountain West series this past weekend. After claiming a 5-3 decision in the opener, the Wolf Pack turned the tables in the final two encounters, winning by scores of 8-2 and 6-0. With the results, SDSU slipped to 4-7 in home games this season.
Against the Wolf Pack, Finley Bates, Jacob McCombs and Evan Sipe led the Aztecs with four hits apiece during the series. In last Friday's opener, Bates belted his first collegiate home run, while McCombs followed with an RBI double to key a three-run first, propelling the Scarlet and Black to the victory.
In that contest, right-handed pitcher Jacob Riordan made his first start in an Aztec uniform a memorable one, posting a season-high eight strikeouts in six innings to raise his record to 2-0 on the year.
As of March 11, SDSU pitchers lead the Mountain West in strikeouts (163) and opponent batting average (.238) while ranking second in innings pitched (135.0) and third in team ERA (5.33).
Additionally, the Aztecs' average of 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings is good for 27th in the country heading into Tuesday's contest.
Individually, Omar Serrano ranks second in the conference with a .198 opponent batting average and occupies the seventh spot with a 2.62 ERA while ranking ninth with 20 strikeouts. In addition, Riordan finds himself among the conference leaders, tying for second with two victories while sharing the fourth spot with 24 strikeouts.
Elsewhere, the Aztec trio of Rumary, Issac Araiza, Chris Canavan and Garvey are perched atop the MW with seven appearances this season.
Offensively, SDSU is slotted fourth in the conference this week in hits (137) while ranking fifth in team batting average (.260) and runs scored (80).
Through 15 games, Colby Turner leads the Aztecs with a .351 batting average, 20 hits and 11 runs scored, while McCombs (.289) tops the squad with three homers, 14 RBIs and a .605 slugging percentage, the latter of which ranks eighth in the MW. In addition, Bates (.286) has smacked a team-leading five doubles and shares the second position on the squad with 16 hits while ranking third in batting average and slugging percentage (.429).
McCombs made huge splash during SDSU's season-opening homestand, launching a pair of grand slams vs. CSUN (Feb. 21) and CSU Bakersfield (Feb. 24) for his first two collegiate homers.
UCR (9-7) has captured its last two series, winning two of three games against Pepperdine (March 1-3) before taking three of four from Holy Cross at home (March 8-10).
The Highlanders will be playing just their fourth road game of the season when they visit "America's Finest City" on Tuesday. In addition, UCR has yet to face a conference opponent in 2024, opening Big West competition against CSUN at home, March 22-24.
The Aztecs will be looking to avenge a 13-9 loss to the Highlanders in Riverside on Feb. 27. SDSU maintained an early 3-2 lead in that contest, but UCR erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the second to vault in front, 9-3, and the Scarlet and Black was unable to regain the upper hand for the remainder of the night.
Despite the setback, San Diego State still owns a 42-29-2 all-time record against UC Riverside in a series that began in 1968.
Individually, Turner went 4-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored, while Jake Jackson and Jacob McCombs (2 hits) drove in a pair of runs apiece. In addition, Shaun Montoya walked twice and scored two runs. As a team, the Aztecs out-hit the Highlanders 12-11, but it wasn't enough, as a late rally fell short.
Collectively, UCR enters the week leading the Big West with 170 hits while ranking third in batting average (.303) and runs scored (124). In addition, the Highlanders are slotted fourth in the conference in RBIs (108) and slugging percentage (.433).
Five UCR regulars are hitting over .300, including infielders Dominic Martinez (.370) and Zachary Chamizo (.354), followed by utility Tyler Weaver (.341), outfielder Jayden Lopez (.333), catcher Bubba Rocha (.333) and outfielder Cole Koniarsky (.317).
Chamizo is tied for the top spot in the Big West with seven doubles and ranks second in hits (23) while sharing the second position in runs scored (19). Additionally, the Highlander junior is slotted 13th in the league in batting average behind his teammate Martinez, who ranks ninth.
On the flip side, UCR pitchers are seventh in the league with 133 strikeouts but rank just 10th in team ERA (5.74) and 10th in opposing batting average (.288).
Following Tuesday's matchup, San Diego State embarks on six-game road trip, starting this weekend when it travels to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains to battle Air Force, March 15-17, in a Mountain West series in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Aztecs Wrap Up Homestand vs UCR Tuesday Night
