Finished the 2008 season as the Aztecs number-two pitcher in the starting rotation and will be in that role in 2009 ... His total of 96 strikeouts last season ranked 42nd in NCAA Division I, which consists of 301 teams ... Served as a middle reliever in his first season at San Diego State (2007) ... Played Connie Mack baseball with the Midland Redskins in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the summers of 2004 and 2005 ... Was also recruited by Baylor, Oklahoma State, USC, Arizona State, Kansas State, New Mexico and Utah ... Drafted in the 40th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006.
SAN DIEGO STATE 2008
Was a member of the Aztec starting rotation since opening day ... All 15 of his appearances came in that role and he saw duty as the number-two, three and four starter ... Longest outing came in a start vs. Brigham Young at the MWC Tournament when he went 8.2 innings, allowing no runs on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts... His 96 strikeouts in all games ranked second in the Mountain West Conference behind only teammate Stephen Strasburg ... Also ranked among the top 10 on the MWC in earned run average and opponent batting average ... Strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 3-to-1 (96 K[apos]s, 31 BB[apos]s) in 91.1 innings ... Opened the year with a victory over fifth-ranked San Diego on the second day of the season, allowing no earned runs over 5.1 innings ... Was tagged with a loss in his second outing against Missouri despite allowing just two runs (one earned) while striking out eight over seven frames ... Team scored only 17 runs over his seven losses during the season ... Set a career high with 13 strikeouts in six innings against Brigham Young on March 14 ... From April 15 to May 4 won four games in five starts (vs. UC Riverside, at USC, at Air Force and at Brigham Young) with the other being a no decision.
SAN DIEGO STATE 2007
Began the season as a member of the Aztec bullpen ... Made three starts and 12 relief appearances as a true freshman ... Picked up a win in his first collegiate game with one inning of relief work vs. Loyola Marymount on Feb. 13 ... Longest outings of five innings came in starts at UC Riverside and vs. San Diego ... At Riverside, allowed just three unearned runs on three hits and was not involved in the decision as SDSU lost in 10 innings ... Had a season-high seven strikeouts in that contest ... Recorded a victory over 20th-ranked San Diego on March 27 ... Other win came in relief at Air Force on March 23 ... In that game, came on in the seventh with SDSU leading 10-9 and Air Force having the bases loaded and no outs ... Retired the side with no runs scored and went on to finish the game allowing runners on a walk and an error ... Opponents batted just .227 against him overall ... In league play, pitched 7.2 innings over four appearances, allowing one run on one hit (a 1.17 ERA).
HIGH SCHOOL
Won three varsity letters in baseball at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque ... Was coached there by Stan McKeever ... Team won three league and state titles during his playing days ... As a senior, was named a preseason All-American by Baseball America, but did not pitch that year due to injury ... In his junior year, compiled a record of 11-1 with a 1.90 earned run average and 70 strikeouts ... Selected to the all-metro, all-district and all-state teams, helping team to a No. 9 national ranking by Baseball America ... Bears set national record with 70 consecutive victories ... As a sophomore (2004), was a second-team all-state honoree as the team was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
PERSONAL
Nathan Alan Solow was born Oct. 30, 1987, in Albuquerque, N.M. ... Son of Alan and Joy Solow ... Father was a swimmer at Colorado State ... Enjoys playing golf ... Favorite athlete is San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy and former NFL quarterback John Elway ... A social science major at San Diego State.