SAN DIEGO – A busy weekend awaits the San Diego State baseball program, as it travels to north to Silicon Valley to play two non-conference games against San José State and Connecticut, March 20-22, at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, California.
The Aztecs (11-10) will square off against the Spartans on Friday at 1 p.m. PT and Saturday in the second game of a two-team doubleheader following a clash with the Huskies at noon before wrapping up their excursion on Sunday with another showdown vs. UConn at 11 a.m.
Live stats will be available for the entire weekend, while SDSU’s two encounters with San José State will air live on the Mountain West Network with links to both platforms available on GoAztecs.com. In addition, fans can catch all the action by downloading the MW app on their smartphones or TVs.
The Aztecs are coming off a 7-4 setback at No. 13/13 USC on Tuesday when the Trojans broke a 4-4 tie with a three-run outburst in the eighth inning. Tyce Peterson led the Scarlet and Black with three hits in that contest, while Adam Magpoc drove in a pair of runs.
SERIES RECORD VS. SAN JOSÉ STATE
SDSU owns a 91-47 advantage against the Spartans in the all-time series, which dates back to 1938.
The Aztecs posted a 5-2 mark against the SJSU during the 2025 campaign, including a three-game sweep in their last visit to Excite Ballpark. In that series, the Scarlet and Black posted winning scores of 5-2, 9-3 and 2-0.
However, the Spartans exacted a measure of revenge with 7-6 triumph in an elimination game at the Mountain West Championship in Mesa, Arizona.
SDSU is 49-18 against the Spartans in San Diego and 37-28 on the road. In addition, the Aztecs are 5-1 vs. SJSU on a neutral diamond.
San Diego State will face San José State in a three-game Mountain West series, May 8-10, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
SERIES RECORD VS. UCONN
SDSU trails the all-time series vs. the Huskies 4-1 after dropping three of four games at Tony Gwynn Stadium in 2023. Prior to that season, the Aztecs crossed paths with UConn on just one previous occasion, falling at home by a 9-3 count to then-No. 22 Huskies in 2011.
SDSU IN MW RANKINGS
As of March 18, the Aztecs lead the Mountain West in strikeouts per nine innings (10.8) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.64), which rank 24th and 47th in the nation, respectively.
Additionally, SDSU tops the conference in WHIP (1.40) and hits allowed per nine innings (8.56), which are slotted 70th and 79th in the country, respectively.
Individually, Rohan Lettow tops the league in strikeouts (38), while Drew Talavs (33) shares the second spot in that category, with the Aztec hurlers tying for 35th and 78th in the nation, respectively. Not to be outdone, Alec Belardes (5th – 26), Bryce McKnight (T6th – 25) and Carson Johnson (T8th – 24) also find themselves among the league’s top 10 in strikeouts this weekend.
In addition, Lettow is tied for second in the league with three victories, while Issac Araiza is slotted third with a .118 opponent batting average. Lettow (T3rd, 26.1), Talavs (5th, 25.1) and Belardes (T6th, 25.0) are also ranked among the MW top 10 this week in innings pitched.
Elsewhere, Aidan Russell is tied for second in the conference with two saves and occupies the fifth spot with a 1.89 ERA while sharing the sixth position with two victories.
At the plate, Jabin Trosky finds himself among the MW leaders in several categories, including hits (2nd, 32), runs scored (T4th, 23), doubles (T4th, 8) and batting average (8th, .372).
Trosky has been the second-toughest player in the conference to strike out so far this season, fanning once every 12.3 at-bats, which ranks 49th nationally.
Not to be outdone, Tyce Peterson is slotted third in doubles (9) and shares the seventh position in home runs (3) while ranking 10th in hits (25). Additionally, Adam Magpoc ranks fifth in stolen bases (7).
Elsewhere, Dawson Santana has been hit by a pitch seven times, which is tied for second in the league, while Max Farrell shares the fifth spot with two triples.
Collectively, the Aztecs rank fourth in hits (195) and doubles (38), fifth in slugging percentage (.407) and home runs (15), and sixth in batting average (.274) and scoring (6.0 runs/game).
STREAKING AZTECS
Jabin Trosky tops the squad with multiple hits in 12 games, while Tyce Peterson has seven to his credit, followed by Adam Magpoc, Jake Jackson with six apiece.
Trosky has hit safely in 18 of 21 games this season, including the first nine outings before his streak was snapped at Washington on Feb. 28.
Meanwhile, Zach Justice had his 10-game hitting streak halted against Washington State on March 14 but has reached base safely in his last 13 outings after getting struck by a pitch in that contest vs. the Cougars.
Dawson Santana and Anthony Marnell IV are tied for the team lead with multiple RBIs in three games.
The Aztecs are 11-1 this season when leading after eight innings and are 10-2 when outhitting the opposition.
STRIKEOUTS GALORE
Since 2019, the Aztecs are 87-70 in their last 157 games when striking out 10 or more batters, sporting an 8-4 mark this year. SDSU pitchers fanned a season-high 17 batters in a 12-5 romp over LIU on Feb. 14.
In that series against the Sharks, SDSU combined for 46 strikeouts, marking the team’s highest total for a three-game set since posting 47 in a sweep of San Francisco in 2019.
OTHER TRENDS
The Aztecs are 185-75 over the last eight seasons when scoring five or more runs, including a stellar 38-6 record during the 2017 campaign.
San Diego State has emerged victorious in 97 of its last 154 games dating back to 2019 when hitting a home run, including a 9-1 mark this season.
The Aztecs have hit three home runs in two contests already this season vs. LIU (Feb. 14) and at No. 1 UCLA (Feb. 24) after collecting three home runs in a game just once during the 2025 campaign vs. Fresno State (April 12, 2025).
SPARTANS AT A GLANCE
San José State (7-12, 2-1 MW) captured two of the three games against New Mexico at home last weekend, sandwiching a narrow 8-7 loss around a pair of shutouts, 1-0 and 3-0.
The Spartans have been led by outfielder Alex Fernandes, who has current slash line of .449/.560/.652 with two homers, nine doubles, 13 RBIs and five stolen bases.
HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
UConn (10-11), which has played just two home games this season, dropped two of three games at Portland last weekend before rebounding with a pair of midweek victories at California (9-3) and Santa Clara (12-5).
The Huskies have been paced by Chris Polemeni, who has slashed .415,/.542/.585 thus far with two homers, 11 RBIs and 10 stolen bases, while first baseman Jackson Marshall (.382) tops the squad with seven homers and 19 RBIs.
UP NEXT
Following this weekend’s action, San Diego State returns home to battle UC Irvine in a midweek game on Tuesday, March 24 at Tony Gwynn Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PT.