Projected Starting Pitcher Matchups
Tuesday, March 19 - 6:00 p.m. PT
LMU: LHP Alexander Burge (2-0, 4.82 ERA)
SDSU: RHP Adrian Mardueno (1-0, 0.57 ERA)
Aztec Storylines
HEADING TO LA: San Diego State makes the quick trip to Los Angeles to battle Loyola Marymount for a Tuesday contest at 6:00 p.m.
Links to live stats can be found on GoAztecs.com.
OVER THE LAST SEVEN: San Diego State has won six of its last seven games, with the one loss being a 6-5 extra-inning loss against Nevada on March 10.
Below is a statistical comparison between SDSU's first 11 games (5-6) and SDSU's last seven games (6-1):
Stat First 11 Last 7
Batting average .284 .310
ERA 4.78 3.60
Slugging percentage .369 .456
Batting average w/RISP .254 .349
OBP against to start an inning .508 .378
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE LIONS: The Aztecs and Lions play each other for the first time since 2015, when SDSU swept the season series. SDSU won a pair of one-run games, including a 2-1 decision in Los Angeles on March 17, 2015.
SDSU leads the all-time series, 67-41.
SCHMITT NAMED MW POTW: Casey Schmitt collected his first career Mountain West Player of the Week award on Monday after going 10-for-18 (.556) with four extra-base hits (2B, 2 3B, HR) and earning the win in SDSU's 11-5 win over Seattle.
Schmitt is the first Aztec freshman or sophomore to win MW Player of the Week since Alan Trejo did on March 14, 2016 as a sophomore.
WHERE WE RANK IN THE MW: With a .294 team batting average and a 4.31 team ERA, SDSU is the only team in the Mountain West to have an ERA below 4.70 and a batting average above .260.
SDSU is also the only team with multiple players hitting .370 or better, as Angelo Armenta (.371) and Casey Schmitt (.370) rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in batting average among conference leaders.
Schmitt is also seventh in slugging percentage (.574) and ninth in on base percentage (.462). Armenta is second in the MW with a .536 on base percentage.
Matt Rudick is third in the conference with 27 hits, while Brian Leonhardt is second in the league with 19 RBIs.
STRIKEOUTS GALORE: SDSU matched its 2018 total of 13 double-digit strikeout games, needing just 18 games this season. The Aztecs are currently 14th in the country averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
Despite being just 18 games into the season, SDSU's 13 games with 10 or more strikeouts is tied for the most since the Aztec pitching staff recorded 20 10+ strikeout games in 2015.
RECAP OF THE SEATTLE SERIES: SDSU posted its first three-game sweep of the season this past weekend, defeating Seattle 6-5 (10), 12-8 and 11-5 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
As a team, the Aztecs hit .346 against the Redhawks while outscoring Seattle 26-13 over the three games. Casey Schmitt (7-for-14) and Brian Leonhardt (5-for-10) both hit .500 for the series, while Matt Rudick and Leonhardt were tied for the team lead in RBIs with seven each.
SDSU has recorded seven three-game sweeps since the last time it has suffered a three-game sweep (April 2016 vs. Nevada).
After hitting a walk-off 10th inning RBI single on Friday night, Rudick set a new career-high with five RBIs in the 11-5 win on Sunday.
Baseball Makes Trip to Loyola Marymount
