Series Preview
San Diego State at Nevada
April 30-May 1, 2021
Peccole Park
Reno, Nev.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, April 30 | 1 p.m. PT
SDSU: Troy Melton, RHP (3-3, 4.75 ERA, 53.0 IP)
NEVADA: TBA
Friday, April 30 | 4:30 p.m. PT
SDSU: Brian Leonhardt, LHP (1-0, 7.07 ERA, 14.0 IP)
NEVADA: TBA
Saturday, May 1 | 1 p.m. PT
SDSU: Ricky Tibbett, RHP (3-1, 5.02 ERA, 37.2 IP)
NEVADA: TBA
WHAT'S ON TAP FOR AZTEC BASEBALL
> San Diego State dives back into conference play this weekend when it travels to the Silver State to face Nevada, April 30-May 1, at Don Weir Field at Peccole Park.
> The Aztecs and Wolf Pack will play a doubleheader on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m. PT, before squaring off in a single game on Saturday with another 1 p.m. starting time.
> Friday's twin bill will be streamed live via the Mountain West Network, while video arrangements are pending for Saturday's clash. In addition, live stats will be utilized for all three contests, with links available for all platform available on GoAztecs.com.
> San Diego State will be making its first road trip outside the state of California when it makes the excursion to Reno this weekend.
QUICK HITS
> San Diego State (22-9, 14-7 MW) will aiming for its 10th series victory in the first 11 weeks of the season after sweeping a three-game non-conference set against Dixie State at Tony Gwynn Stadium, April 24-25.
> The Aztecs maintained their flair for the dramatic last Saturday with a pair of walk-off victories in both games of a doubleheader, winning 8-7 and 5-4 in 10 innings, before completing the sweep with a big 9-1 conquest on Sunday.
> Despite giving up six solo home runs in the twin bill, SDSU pitchers combined for 42 strikeouts over the weekend, fanning a season-high 15 batters in the series opener.
> The Aztecs have scored 10 or more runs in 13 of 31 games this season, posting a 12-1 mark in those contests. By contrast, SDSU surpassed the double-digit plateau in runs 12 times in 57 games during its last full schedule in 2019.
> For teams with more than 12 games played, the Aztecs share the national lead with a scoring average of 9.1 runs per game while ranking second with a .330 batting average and 10th with a .411 on-base percentage. In addition, the Aztecs top the Mountain West with 373 hits, which is best in the country for teams with 32 games played or less and is 27th overall.
> For players with more than nine games played, Jaden Fein leads the nation with a .458 batting average and 1.94 hits per game while sharing the fifth spot with 60 hits overall. In addition, Matt Rudick is the toughest player to strike out in the country, fanning just three times in 122 at-bats, and is the national leader with 1.45 runs per game while ranking third in hits per game (1.79) and ninth in batting average (.426).
> After batting .500 with five hits, one double, three RBIs and three runs scored against Dixie State, Wyatt Hendrie was named Mountain West Player of the Week for the second time this season, giving SDSU eight weekly conference award winners thus far in 2021. Hendrie smacked the game-winning hit in SDSU's 5-4 victory in the bottom of the 10th in game two vs. the Trailblazers.
> Nevada is the only team to claim a series victory vs. the Aztecs this year, winning two of three games in San Diego, April 10-11.
AZTEC WEEKEND ROTATION
> San Diego State is projected to start Troy Melton and Brian Leonhardt, respectively, in Friday's doubleheader, while Ricky Tibbett is expected to receive the call for Saturday's finale.
> Melton (3-3, 4.75 ERA) will be aiming for his first win in six starts when he allowed just one run in seven innings vs. Air Force on March 20, as the Aztecs posted a 5-1 victory. In his most recent appearance vs. Dixie State last weekend, the redshirt sophomore tied his career-high with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings but did not earn a decision after allowing four solo home runs, as SDSU rallied for an 8-7 triumph in the bottom of the ninth of game one. Entering the weekend at Nevada, Melton leads the Mountain West with 58 strikeouts while ranking second in innings pitched (53.0) and sixth in opposing batting average (.229). Earlier this season, Melton earned MW Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time in his career on the strength of his complete-game shutout vs. Fresno State at home on Feb. 26. In that contest, the Aztec right-hander equaled his career high with nine strikeouts against four hits and one walk in SDSU's big 17-0 victory. Prior to the 2021 campaign, Melton landed a spot on the preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List.
> For the second straight week, Leonhardt (1-0, 7.07 ERA) is slated to open game two at Nevada after serving the same capacity in the nightcap against Dixie State on April 24, when pitched the first two innings, allowing two unearned runs on one hit and three walks against a trio of strikeouts. However, he did not factor in the decision after the Aztecs overcame a 4-0 deficit to win 5-4 in 10 innings. For the season, Leonhardt has struck out 15 batters against eight walks in 14.0 innings, posting a 1-0 record with a 7.07 ERA in 10 appearances. He earned his lone victory of the year in the second game of a twin bill at UC San Diego on Feb. 28, despite giving up three runs on two hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings of relief, finishing with a season-high four strikeouts. Leonhardt's only other start was made vs. Fresno State on March 7, when he yielding two runs (one earned) on three hits and walk in the first inning before the Scarlet and Black rallied for a 12-7 victory.
> Meanwhile, Tibbett (3-1, 5.97 ERA) posted his third victory of the year after tossing six scoreless innings in SDSU's 9-1 triumph over Dixie State in the series finale on April 25. The Aztec redshirt freshman scattered five hits and one walk against six strikeouts, which tied his second-best total of the year. Tibbett got stronger as the game progressed, posting five of his strikeouts over the last three innings of his stint, including two apiece in the fifth and sixth. He also picked off a runner at first after a one-out single in the first inning and allowed one batter to reach third base while lowering his season ERA from 5.97 ERA to 5.02. Against New Mexico on April 3, Tibbett combined for his first career shutout, giving up five hits and two walks against six strikeouts in five innings of work, as the Scarlet and Black rolled to a 15-0 run-rule victory in seven innings. He has walked just seven batters this season, which is tied for fourth in the Mountain West this week.
SERIES RECORD VS. NEVADA
> The Wolf Pack lead the Aztecs 32-23 in the all-time series, which dates back to 1986.
> SDSU is 11-14 vs. Nevada in San Diego, 8-15 in Reno and 4-3 at a neutral site.
> The Wolf Pack are the only team to earn a series victory vs. the Aztecs this season, winning two of three games at Tony Gwynn Stadium, April 10-11.
> Buoyed by Wyatt Hendrie's career-high six RBIs, San Diego State rallied for a big 15-7 victory over Nevada in the opener of a doubleheader before dropping a 10-6 decision in the nightcap. In the rubber game the next day, the Aztecs were unable to seize the upper hand, as the Wolf Pack pulled away for a 5-3 win.
> SDSU won two of three games in both regular-season series against Nevada in 2019.
> However, the Wolf Pack defeated the Aztecs, 6-4, in an elimination game at the 2019 Mountain West Championship at Peccole Park in Reno.
> In that contest, SDSU bolted to a 4-1 lead before Nevada hit three consecutive home runs in the fifth and added two more markers in the sixth to vault in front for good.
> At the plate, Matt Rudick and Mike Jarvis each scored in the second inning of that game after both got aboard on a leadoff single and a hit by pitch, respectively.
> During Mark Martinez's seven-year tenure as head coach on The Mesa, the Aztecs have compiled an 11-18 record vs. the Wolf Pack, including a 5-10 mark at home and a 6-8 ledger on the road.
> In Martinez's first year at the helm of the Aztecs in 2015, the Scarlet and Black defeated the 23rd-ranked Wolf Pack, 9-7, on the their home field at the Mountain West Championships, posting the second of five straight victories en route to the tournament crown.
> The last time the two sides met at Peccole Park in 2019, SDSU dropped the opener by an 8-7 count before winning the final two games by scores of 6-2 and 11-3.
> Among Aztec returners, Rudick has 13 career starts vs. Nevada, while Mike Jarvis has 10 to his credit, followed by Ryan Orr (9) and Brian Leonhardt (7) .
> Rudick has batted .351 (20-57) during his career against the Wolf Pack with five doubles, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
> In the three-game series vs. Nevada at Tony Gwynn Stadium earlier this month, Rudick led the team with a .615 batting average (8-13), finishing with three doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBIs and five runs scored.
AZTECS AMONG NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS
> After the first nine weeks of the 2021 campaign, the Aztecs find themselves among the NCAA statistical leaders in several categories. For teams with more than six games played, San Diego State leads the nation with a .339 team batting average and a scoring average of 9.3 runs per contest. In addition, the Scarlet and Black occupies the fifth spot with a .419 on-base percentage and is tied for 14th with 350 hits, which is tops in the country for schools that have played 30 games or less.
> Individually, Jaden Fein leads the nation with a .475 batting average and 2.04 hits per game and is tied for third with 57 hits overall. In addition, the Aztec right fielder ranks seventh with 1.46 RBIs per game and is tied for 13th with 41 RBIs overall. Meanwhile, Matt Rudick is the toughest player to strike out in the country, fanning just three times in 122 at-bats. Rudick, who climbed into sixth this week with a .426 batting average, also occupies the second spot nationally in both hits per game (1.86) and runs per contest (1.46). Elsewhere, Brian Leonhardt leads the country with seven sacrifice flies, while Mike Jarvis ranks ninth in hits per game (1.64).
SDSU IN MW RANKINGS
> Entering the weekend, Jaden Fein still leads the Mountain West with a lofty .458 batting average, 60 hits, 41 RBIs and a .526 on-base percentage while sharing the top spot with 14 doubles.
> Fein also sits near the top of the conference perch in runs scored (4th - 33), stolen bases (5th - 7) and slugging percentage (6th - .611).
> In addition, Matt Rudick leads the MW with 42 runs scored and 11 stolen bases while sharing the top spot with three triples. The Aztec center fielder also occupies the second position in both batting average (.426) and hits (52) while ranking third in on-base percentage (.486), fourth in RBIs (32) and 10th in both slugging percentage (.582) and walks (14).
> Meanwhile, Wyatt Hendrie is second in the league this week with seven homers and 35 RBIs while sharing the No. 2 spot with 38 runs scored. The SDSU catcher is also tied for sixth with 16 walks and occupies the sixth spot with a .458 on-base percentage. Additionally, he ranks also ranks seventh in hits (40) and ninth in slugging percentage (.583).
> Not to be outdone, Caden Miller has landed in the fourth spot this week a .481 on-base percentage and ranks fifth with 31 runs scored. The Aztec second baseman is also tied for sixth with 16 walks and occupies the sixth spot as well with a .380 batting average and 41 hits while ranking ninth with 23 RBIs. In addition, Miller is tied for fifth with two triples and ranks seventh with five stolen bases.
> Elsewhere, shortstop Mike Jarvis finds himself among the league leaders in runs scored (2nd - 38), stolen bases (T-2nd - 10), hits (3rd - 48), doubles (T-6th - 10), triples (T-5th - 2), home runs (T-8th - 4) and RBIs (T-10th - 22).
> In all, the Aztecs boast seven of the top 10 RBI producers, with Brian Leonhardt (3rd - 33) and Jacob Cruce (T-7th - 23) joining Fein, Rudick, Hendrie, Miller and Jarvis.
> Similarly, SDSU features six players among the MW leaders in runs scored, as Cruce is tied seventh with 27, trailing Rudick, Jarvis, Hendrie, Fein and Miller.
> On the mound, reliever Tre Brown shares the conference lead with five wins and ranks second with four saves, while Michael Paredes Troy Melton and Ricky Tibbett are among a logjam of eight pitchers tied for third with three victories apiece.
> In addition, Melton tops the league with 58 strikeouts while ranking second with 53.0 innings pitched and sixth with a .229 opposing batting average.
> Meanwhile, Paredes tops the conference with 58.0 innings pitched and ranks third with 48 strikeouts while occupying the seventh spot with a 4.42 ERA and the eighth position a .255 opposing batting average. Additionally, he shares the sixth spot with fewest walks allowed (8).
> Not to be outdone, Tibbett is tied for fourth with fewest walks allowed (7) and ranks fifth with 39 strikeouts.
> With huge production throughout the lineup, unsurprisingly San Diego State leads the MW in numerous offensive categories as a team this week, including batting average (.330), hits (373), runs (283), RBIs (254), total bases (517), stolen bases (41) and on-base percentage (.411). The Aztecs also occupy the second spot in the league this week in slugging percentage (.506) and rank second with fewest strikeouts (158) for teams with more than 16 games played.
> On the hill, SDSU pitchers lead the league with a .264 opposing team batting average and 280 strikeouts while ranking second with a collective 5.12 ERA.
NEVADA AT A GLANCE
> The Wolf Pack are coming off a series victory at Air Force last weekend, winning the final two games by scores of 14-7 and 7-4 after dropping the opener, 6-3.
> With the results, Nevada raises its record to 12-16 on the season and moves into fourth place in the MW standings with a 9-9 mark.
> The Wolf Pack have played just six home games this season, posting a 3-3 record at Peccole Park. Nevada won two of three games vs. Fresno State, March 20-21, before experiencing the opposite against Air Force, April 2-3.
> At press time, the Wolf Pack have not announced their probable pitching rotation for this weekend.
> Only three position players have played all 28 games for Nevada this year: outfielders Dario Gomez and Jacob Stinson, along with infielder Tyler Bosetti.
> Gomez finds himself among the conference leaders in numerous categories this week, including sacrifice bunts (T-1st - 4), stolen bases (T-2nd - 10), batting average (4th - .395), slugging percentage (4th - .623), hits (T-4th - 45), home runs (T-5th - 4), RBIs (6th - 27), triples (T-8th - 2), runs scored (9th - 26) and doubles (T-9th - 7).
> In addition, Bosetti is tied with SDSU's Jaden Fein atop the MW with 14 doubles and is tied for ninth with 36 hits but ranks sixth in the league with 30 strikeouts.
> On the mound, Owen Sharts (35) and Alejandro Murillo (34) rank eighth and ninth in strikeouts this week, respectively. Murillo also occupies the ninth spot with 40.1 innings pitched, just behind teammate Jake Jackson (41.1).
> Nine different pitchers for the Wolf Pack have earned at least one victory, led by Kade Morris (3) and Sharts (2).
> Shane Gustafson (15) and Tyler Cochran (14) lead Nevada in appearances, respectively, and are tied for third in the MW with three saves apiece.
> Collectively, the Wolf Pack occupies the second position in the conference with 25 home runs and are tied for the No. 2 spot with 58 doubles. In addition, Nevada enters the weekend third in slugging percentage (.444) while ranking fourth in batting average (.283), on-base percentage (.365) and RBIs (148).
> As a staff, Nevada pitchers are third in the league with a team ERA of 5.31 and share the fourth spot with a .300 opposing team batting average while ranking fifth with 190 strikeouts.
> Head coach T.J. Bruce is in his sixth season at the controls of the Wolf Pack program. His record at Nevada stands at 129-138, including a 76-60 mark in conference play. Prior to his arrival on the Reno campus, Bruce served a five-year stint as an assistant coach at UCLA from 2011-15 after spending four seasons in a similar capacity at his alma mater Long Beach State from 2007-10.
STRIKEOUTS GALORE
> San Diego State recorded 27 games with 10 or more strikeouts during the 2019 campaign, marking the most double-digit strikeout performances for the Aztecs in the MW era (since 2000). SDSU surpassed the previous MW record of 23 set in a 10-6 win at Fresno State on May 11, 2009.
> This season, the Scarlet and Black has registered 10 or more strikeouts in 14 games, notching an 11-3 record in those contests, including all three games of the team's home sweep of Dixie State when Trailblazer hitters were punched out 42 times during the series, including 15 in the doubleheader opener, which marked a season-high for the SDSU staff.
> After posting single digits in strikeouts during the opening series vs. USD, the Aztecs surpassed the double-digit plateau in that category in all four games against UC San Diego, including a season-high 13 in the first game of the doubleheader on Feb. 28.
> SDSU also fanned 12 batters in the first game of a twin-bill vs. Fresno State on March 6, before recording 11 strikeouts in both games of a doubleheader vs. Air Force on March 20.
> Additionally, the Aztecs whiffed 10 Spartan batters in the series finale at San José State on March 28, before logging 11 strikeouts in each of the final two games vs. Nevada, April 10-11.
> Not to be outdone, San Diego big 21-14 victory at Fresno State when it fanned 11 Bulldog batters.
> During the shortened 2020 season, the SDSU pitching staff completed seven games with 10 strikeouts: vs. Virginia Tech, Cal State Fullerton, Iowa, Nebraska, at UC Irvine and twice against Oregon State. Not surprisingly, the Scarlet and Black went 6-1 in those contests.
> Dating back to 2019, the Aztecs are 33-15 in their last 48 games when striking out 10 or more batters.
GOING, GOING, GONE
> San Diego State has homered in 20 of 31 games this season, posting an 14-6 record in those contests.
> The Aztecs have emerged victorious in 36 of their last 50 games dating back to 2019 when launching one out of the park.
> The Aztecs went 17-5 during the 2019 campaign when going yard and 5-2 in 2020.
STREAKING AZTECS
> Matt Rudick has reached base in all 28 games he has made a plate appearance this season, while Brian Leonhardt owns a current streak of getting aboard in 14 straight contests.
> Earlier, Leonhardt had another streak of safely reaching base snapped at 14 after coming up empty in nightcap of a doubleheader vs. Air Force on March 20.
> Rudick owns the team's longest current hitting streak of nine games, with multiple hits in six, followed by Wyatt Hendrie (4).
> Jaden Fein had a season-long 12-game hitting streak broken snapped in the nightcap of last weekend's doubleheader nightcap vs. Dixie State. Earlier, Fein crafted an 11-game hitting streak to open the season; Rudick had a 10-game string halted in the series vs. Air Force, while Mike Jarvis had a 10-game streak of his own snapped in the series finale against Nevada on April 11.
> Fein leads the Aztecs with multiple hits in 18 games, including a career-high six at Fresno State on April 18, and has had two or more RBIs in 13 contests. In addition, Rudick, Jarvis and Caden Miller have collected multiple hits in 16 games, followed by Jacob Cruce (12) and Hendrie (11), while Leonhardt has logged two or more RBIs in nine games this season, just ahead of Rudick (8), Hendrie (8) and Cruce (8).
DELIVERING IN CRUNCH TIME
> The Aztecs are batting .345 with two outs this season (130-377), 15 percentage points higher than their team average of .330 for the year.
> In addition, SDSU has compiled 43.3 percent of its RBI total (110/254) with two outs.
> The Aztecs are 5-0 in walk-off games this season and 4-0 in extra-inning contests.
OTHER TRENDS
> The Aztecs are 87-15 in their last 102 games when scoring five or more runs, including a 21-3 record already in 2021 after posting a 6-2 mark last year.
> San Diego State is 55-20 in its last 75 games following a loss, including an 8-1 mark this year.
> The Aztecs had their 29-game winning streak snapped when leading after six innings in the series finale against USD on Feb. 21.
> Conversely, SDSU put the brakes a 41-game losing streak when trailing after seven innings the previous day vs. the Toreros on Feb. 20.
> After scoring six runs in the bottom of the ninth in their dramatic 10-9 victory over New Mexico on April 2, the Aztecs snapped a 46-game losing streak when trailing after eight innings dating back to March 20, 2018 as SDSU rallied to beat CSU Bakersfield at home, 5-4.
> The Aztecs are 9-1 in series openers this season and have won seven straight in that category since dropping a 3-2 decision to Fresno State at home on March 6.
> In addition, SDSU is 4-0 in Friday games so far this year.
STABILITY IN THE LINEUP
> Three players have started all 31 games for the Aztecs this season, including Jaden Fein (RF), Mike Jarvis (SS) and Jacob Cruce (1B), while Caden Miller (30 - 2B) has missed just one start.
> In addition, Brian Leonhardt has made 28 starts at designated hitter one in left field, while Wyatt Hendrie has recorded 28 starts at catcher and one in left field as well.
> Matt Rudick (28 - CF) and Ryan Orr (26 - LF) are the only other SDSU players have also logged more than 25 starts.
> Jarvis, Rudick and Hendrie have comprised the top three hitters in the Aztecs' batting order in 28 of 31 games this year.
HEAD COACH MARK MARTINEZ
> Mark Martinez is in his seventh season as head coach of the Aztecs and 16th overall as a member of the San Diego State staff after succeeding the late Tony Gwynn on August 20, 2014. He is just the fifth head coach in SDSU history since baseball was elevated to major sport status in 1936.
> During his tenure as the Aztecs' head coach, Martinez has compiled a 207-143 record (.591), highlighted by three Mountain West tournament championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018. He has also posted a 103-73 ledger (.585) in conference regular-season games.
> Since 2015, SDSU has garnered 30 all-Mountain West accolades under Martinez's tutelage, including back-to-back MW Pitchers of the Year Brett Seeburger (2017) and Garrett Hill (2018), as well as 2017 MW Player of the Year Danny Sheehan.
> Additionally, Martinez has mentored three freshman All-Americans in Chase Calabuig (2015), Casey Schmitt (2018) and Jaden Fein (2019), with the latter also receiving Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year distinction last year.
> On April 2, 2021, Martinez earned his 200th career coaching victory after the Aztecs defeated New Mexico, 5-4, in 10 innings in the second game of a doubleheader.
> Not to be outdone, Martinez also became the fastest head coach in Mountain West history to win three conference championships when the Aztecs captured the league's tournament title in 2018.
> Martinez was hired as an assistant coach for the Aztecs in July of 2005 and served for nine years under head coach Tony Gwynn. During that time, he was promoted to the position of associate head coach.
> Since his arrival on The Mesa as an assistant coach, Martinez has witnessed 44 SDSU players get drafted into the professional ranks, with 10 of those selections reaching the major leagues (Stephen Strasburg, Addison Reed, Justin Masterson, Bruce Billings, Quintin Berry, Lance Zawadzki, Greg Allen, Ty France, Seby Zavala and Alan Trejo).
> Prior to his arrival at San Diego State, Martinez was an assistant coach at New Mexico for 17 seasons from 1989-2005. During his time as a hitting and infield coach, he helped develop the Lobos into one of the most prominent offensive teams in the country, with UNM ranking among the top 11 nationally in hitting over his final four seasons.
> Martinez served as an assistant at his alma mater, Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) in Grand Junction, Colorado, from 1984-88. He played shortstop at the school from 1982-84, earning all-conference and all-district honors as a senior.
> Martinez graduated from Mesa State with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1984 and completed his master's in sports administration at New Mexico in 1990.
Aztecs Hit the Road to Battle Nevada This Weekend
