Aztecs ready for home series vs. Nevada

SAN DIEGO San Diego State continues its home stretch this weekend as it takes on Nevada in a three-game Mountain West series on the 21st-23rd. April at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

The first two games pitting the Aztecs against the Wolf Pack will start at 6:00 PM PT on Friday and Saturday, while Sunday’s finale is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM Nevada (home) and Fresno State (away) are the two teams in the San. Diego State will play just one series in the 2023 regular season.

Live stats will be available throughout the weekend, while Friday’s game is scheduled to air live on the Mountain West Network. Links to both platforms are available at GoAztecs.com.

SDSU is projected to utilize the Lefty’s starting rotation TJ Fontaine (3-2, 3.42 ERA), Chris Canada (1-4, 5.40 ERA) and right-handed Omar Serrano (0-3, 4.88 ERA) in a row, while Nevada is expected to face the righty trio of Kade Morris (3-4, 5.37 ERA), Jason Doktorczyk (2-2, 5.77 ERA) and Peyton Stumbo (2 -3, 4.71 ERA).

Heading into the weekend, the Aztecs (14-19, 8-5 MW) are in second place in the Mountain West standings, two games behind top seed San José State (18-15, 11-4 MW), while Fresno State is in third place (18-17, 9 -8 MW), followed by the Air Force (16-23, 9-9 MW).

The Spartans and Bulldogs will meet four times in Fresno this week, including completing a previously postponed game in San Jose, while the Falcons host New Mexico.

SDSU faces San Diego 1-0 at home on Tuesday. Eight pitchers combined for two hits and nine strikeouts against the Toreros as the Scarlet and Black posted their first shutout of a cross-town opponent since a 3-0 shutout of USD on May 5, 2015 at Fowler Park.

Cole Carrigg hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first for the only run of the game, helping the Aztecs snap a three-game losing streak to the Toreros.

SDSU’s shutout was also the second of the season after an 11-0 rout of Air Force in the March 24 home opener of the weekend series. In addition, the two hits allowed by the Aztecs were the fewest since the Scarlet and Black also allowed a pair in an 8-3 Senior Day win over San José State on May 9, 2021.

After Tuesday’s win, SDSU leads the Mountain West in team ERA (4.71), opposing batting average (.257), strikeouts (308) and fewest hits allowed (280). SDSU also leads the conference with 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks 53rd in the nation.

Individually, Fondtain ranks second 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-high 7 2/3 innings, but did not factor in the decision.

In a home opener against Nevada last season, Fondtain pitched his second complete game and offset five hits and five walks with eight strikeouts in a 9-2 win for the Scarlet and Black. He won his second straight MW Pitcher of the Week award and third of the year for his efforts. The Clovis, Calif., native also became the first SDSU pitcher to post back-to-back games since Dominic Purpura had back-to-back wins at the end of 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 33 innings. Earlier this season, the Clovis, California native tied a career high with nine goals against San José State on the 10th. March.

Entering the series, Canada is fifth in the league with 46 strikeouts and tied for sixth in fewest hits allowed (42). In back-to-back starts against Air Force (March 25) and New Mexico (April 1), the Aztecs sophomore had a career-best nine strikeouts. Canada made one start against the Wolf Pack last year, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Serrano, meanwhile, had a career-high nine strikeouts and 5 1/3 innings in the series finale last weekend at Fresno State, but didn’t factor into the decision.

Elsewhere, Kelly Sauer tied for the MW lead with a career-high seven saves, which is tied for 15th in the nation, while his 15 shutouts also lead the league. Additionally, the SDSU right-hander is tied for fourth in conference appearances (16), two behind his teammates. Eldridge Armstrong III (18), which is tied for second place. vs. UCSD on the 11th. April Armstrong struck out the side in the ninth and picked up his first career save.

As of April 20, SDSU leads the Mountain West with 1.52 stolen bases per game and 50 total, which ranks 71st and 84th in the nation. Additionally, the Aztecs ranked sixth in the conference in batting average (.260), on-base percentage (.349) and slugging percentage (.394).

Separately, Shaun Montoya is tops in the MW with 14 stolen bases, while his league-leading 0.44 stolen bases per game ranks 99th in the nation. In addition, the SDSU outfielder ranks sixth in the conference with a .426 on-base percentage and 13th with a .325 batting average among teammates. Cole Carrigg (9., .345) and Caden Miller (18th, 0.318).

Along with Montoya, Carrigg (T-2nd, 9) is one of three Aztecs in the league’s top 10 in stolen bases. Irvin Weems (T-5., 8), while Fondtain (6) and Poncho Ruiz (31) tied for sixth and ninth in home runs and RBI, respectively.

Carrigg has hit safely in nine straight games, hitting .371 (13-35) with five stolen bases and 10 hits. The Aztecs outfielder has also compiled a .405 on-base percentage and a .600 hitting percentage in that span.

Ruiz leads the Scarlet and Black with multiple hits in 15 games and is tied for the team lead with two or more RBIs in nine contests.

Defensively, the Aztecs lead the Mountain West in fewest stolen bases against (21) and are tied for the top with seven runners picked off.

Nevada (15-19, 6-11 MW) finds itself in the conference basement starting its series with SDSU. However, the Wolf Pack played their final two home games against Air Force last weekend, going 16-8 and 6-3 after falling 7-2 in the opener.

On the season, Nevada is 9-8 at home, 6-10 on the road and 0-1 on neutral diamonds.

Wolf Pack pitchers rank second in the MW in strikeouts (306) while ranking fourth in opposing batting average (.274) and fifth in ERA (5.62).

Friday starter Kade Morris ranks third in the conference with 55 strikeouts, while Saturday hurler Jason Doktorczyk is tied for seventh 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).

Among the Bulls, right-handed Kolby Kmetko is third in MW with six saves.

Offensively, Nevada ranks third with 35 runs scored while also ranking fifth in batting average (.269), on-base percentage (.358), slugging percentage (.431) and runs scored (198).

Catcher Matt Clayton is among the league leaders in several categories, including bases (T-3, 76), doubles (T-3, 13), hits (T-6, 45), home runs (T-6, 6) and batting average ( 11th, .338), while utility player Nolan Wilson is batting .320 with three homers and 22 RBI. Wilson is sixth in the MW series with 12 doubles.

Wolf Pack outfielder/pitcher Kyle Becker was a prep teammate of the SDSU freshman DJ Cardinal at Del Norte High School.

After posting a 2-4 record against Nevada during the 2022 campaign, San Diego State is 25-39 all-time in the series. 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 MartinezIn his nine years as the head coach at The Mesa, SDSU has compiled a 13-25 record against Nevada, including a 6-12 mark at home and a 7-13 stretch on the road.

In Martinez’s first season at the Aztecs’ helm in 2015, the Scarlet and Black beat the 23rd-ranked Wolf Pack at home in the Mountain West Championship, 9-7, for the second of five straight victories en route to the tournament crown.

Last season in six games against Nevada Poncho Ruiz hit .458 (11-24) with one home run, four doubles, four RBIs and seven runs scored.

After this weekend’s series, San Diego State continues its homestand on Tuesday, April 25 at Tony Gwynn Stadium with a midweek matchup against UC Irvine. First pitch is set for 6:00 PM PT.