Game Week Preview
MLB4 Tournament
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick | Scottsdale, Ariz.
San Diego State vs. TCU
Friday, Feb. 18 | 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT
Series Record: TCU leads 24-13 | Last meeting: May 26, 2012; Aztecs won 12-11
SDSU: TJ Fondtain, LHP (0-0, 0.00 ERA); TCU: Austin Krob LHP (8-1, 3.81 ERA, 85.0 IP)
San Diego State vs. Houston
Saturday, Feb. 19 | 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT
Series Record: SDSU leads 7-3 | Last meeting: March 30, 2008; Aztecs won 9-6
SDSU: Kelena Sauer, RHP (1-0, 4.20 ERA, 15.0 IP); UH: Logan Clayton RHP (JC Transfer)
San Diego State vs. California
Sunday, Feb. 20 | 2 p.m. PT/1 p.m. PT
Series Record: SDSU leads 5-3 | Last meeting: March 4, 2011; Aztecs won 2-1
SDSU: Jacob Flores, RHP (0-0, 19.80 ERA, 5.0 IP); Cal: Joseph King, RHP (1-0, 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP)
AZTECS TO OPEN 2022 CAMPAIGN AT MLB4 TOURNAMENT
> San Diego State opens its 83rd season of baseball competition this weekend when it travels to the desert for the MLB4 Tournament, Feb. 18-20, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
> The three-day event will be held at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the award-winning facility is the shared spring training home of the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
> The Aztecs will battle TCU in front of a national television audience via the MLB Network on Friday, beginning at 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT. In addition, SDSU's clash with the Horned Frogs will be broadcast on MLB Network Radio (SiriusXM channel 89 and simulcast on ESPNU Radio (SiriusXM channel 84).
> On Saturday, SDSU will lock horns with Houston at the same starting time of 5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT before wrapping up its season-opening excursion on Sunday with a showdown against California at 2 p.m. PT/1 p.m. MT.
> All three contests this weekend will include live stats, while Sunday's showdown with the Golden Bears will air as well on MLB Network Radio (Sirius XM channel 89) and simulcast on ESPNU Radio (Sirius XM channel 84).
SETTING THE SCENE
> San Diego State returns 16 letterwinners from last year's squad that posted a 30-16 overall record and a 22-14 mark in the Mountain West. Among its regulars from last season, the Aztecs welcome back designated hitter/left-handed pitcher Brian Leonhardt, infielder Caden Miller, utility player Cole Carrigg, starting pitcher Troy Melton and fellow right-hander Ricky Tibbett.
> SDSU was the lone school in the MW to win 30 games in 2021, capturing series victories in 12 of 15 weeks during the regular season. The Aztecs finished second in the conference race behind Nevada.
> San Diego State was pegged for a third-place finish in the 2022 MW preseason coaches poll, trailing defending league champion Nevada and UNLV.
> Individually, Troy Melton was selected to the preseason all-Mountain West team in a vote of the conference's seven head coaches. Last year, the Anaheim, California, native finished among the MW leaders in strikeouts (2nd - 83), innings pitched (4th - 73.1), opposing batting average (8th - .291) and wins (T-10th - 4) while allowing one walk or less in eight of his 15 starts.
> Along with Melton, the Aztecs welcome back second baseman Caden Miller (.345) and designated hitter Brian Leonhardt (.305), both of whom contributed to a prolific SDSU offense that finished second nationally in 2021 with a .335 team batting average and ranked third with 9.1 runs per game.
> Leonhardt tied for third in the conference with 47 RBIs last FOR OPENERS
> San Diego State sports a record of 53-28-1 in season openers dating back to 1936 (SDSU did not field a team from 1943-45). Since attaining Division I status in 1969, the Aztecs are 33-19 in their annual debuts.
> SDSU has won its last five season openers - San Diego (2021), Virginia Tech (2020), San Francisco (2019), UC Santa Barbara (2018) and Pacific (2017) - giving the Scarlet and Black a 7-4 mark in its last 10 lid-lifters.
> When opening the season at home, SDSU sports a record of 17-10 in the Division 1 era, a 14-7 mark when beginning the year on the road and 2-2 ledger on a neutral diamond.
> Friday's clash will mark the Aztecs' fifth neutral-site opener in 53 years at the Division I level. SDSU opened with an 11-7 loss to New Mexico State at the 1999 Shootout in the Desert at Tempe, Arizona, before falling to UC Riverside 5-4 at the 2001 Caballeros Classic in Yuma. In 2009, the Scarlet and Black defeated Bethune-Cookman at the MLB Urban Invitational in Compton, California, before recording a 7-5 triumph over Virginia Tech in the 2020 Battle at the Beach event in Conway, South Carolina.
> The Aztecs will play their season opener away from Tony Gwynn Stadium for just the third time in the last eight years, including the aforementioned win over the Hokies in 2020 and a 6-4 setback at San José State in 2014.
AZTEC WEEKEND ROTATION
> San Diego State's projected pitching rotation this weekend will feature a pair of hurlers who have logged a combined five career starts and another who will be making his debut on the mound for the Scarlet and Black.
> TJ Fondtain (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is expected to make his first pitching appearance in a Aztec uniform vs. TCU on Friday after coming off the bench as a hitter in 15 of 16 games over the past two seasons. In 2021, the Clovis, California, native entered as a pinch hitter in the series opener against New Mexico and delivered the game-winning two-run single, as SDSU put up a six-spot in the bottom of the ninth for a dramatic 10-9 victory on April 2. He also smacked a key two-run double in the Aztecs' 8-7 nail-biter over Dixie State in game one of a doubleheader on April 24, before earning his first collegiate start as a left fielder in the nightcap of that twin bill. As a prep at Buchanan High School, Fondtain posted a 17-2 record and a 1.95 ERA in 31 career pitching appearances, compiling 132 strikeouts in 133.0 innings, according to MaxPreps. He helped the Bears to three consecutive berths in the CIF Central Section Division I playoffs, including a spot in the title game in 2017.
> On Saturday, Kelena Sauer (1-0, 4.20 ERA) will make his second career start for the Aztecs after posting a 1-0 record last season with a 4.20 ERA, one save and 19 strikeouts in 15.0 innings over 14 games. As a true freshman, Sauer held opponents scoreless in his first four appearances and eight for the season. In addition, he did not allow a hit in five of his games pitched. The Mililani, Hawaii, native set season highs with five strikeouts and 2 2/3 innings. Sauer made his lone start of the 2021 campaign in the series finale vs. Air Force on March 13, and was credited with his first collegiate victory in SDSU's 12-11 comeback victory at Fresno State on April 17, despite allowing two unearned runs in 2/3 innings. He picked up his first career save in his penultimate appearance of the year vs. San José State, recording a strikeout with the bases loaded to preserve the Aztecs' 8-3 win on May 9.
> Meanwhile, Jacob Flores (0-1, 19.80 ERA) is projected to get the call on Sunday against Cal. A native of Oxnard, California, Flores has appeared in 54 games for the Aztecs over the past four seasons with four starts to his credit, compiling a 4-2 record with a 4.24 ERA and two saves. In that span, he has struck out 88 batters against 61 walks in 80 2/3 innings. Flores last took the hill as a starter in SDSU's 2020 home opener vs. No. 25 Cal State Fullerton but did not earn the decision after tossing the first three innings of the Aztecs' 8-4 victory. However, the Aztec left-hander enjoyed his finest season as a collegian that year despite an abbreviated schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flores posted a 2-0 record in eight appearances with a 1.45 ERA, which ranked second in the Mountain West. He also finished among the league leaders in strikeouts (T-3rd - 25), strikeouts per 9 innings (3rd - 12.05) and opposing batting average (4th - .203). Last year, Flores battled an injury, finishing with six strikeouts in five innings of work over seven games.
SERIES RECORD VS. TCU
> San Diego State's all-time record vs. TCU stands at 13-24 in a series that began in 1998.
> The Aztecs are 7-10 against the Horned Frogs in San Diego, 5-13 in Fort Worth and 1-1 on a neutral field.
> The two sides have not met since the 2012 campaign when the teams split a pair of games at the MW Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, capping TCU's final year in the conference.
> Both offenses were on full display in those two contests, as the Aztecs knocked TCU out of the tournament with a narrow 12-11 victory in an elimination game after dropping a wild 16-15 nail-biter to the Horned Frogs in the opener two days earlier. SDSU ultimately fell to New Mexico in the MW title game.
> TCU was scheduled to play the Aztecs at Tony Gwynn Stadium in a midweek clash on March 10, 2020; however, wet weather forced the cancellation of the game. Three days later, the remainder of the college baseball season was abruptly called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SERIES RECORD VS. HOUSTON
> San Diego State sports a 7-3 record in 10 all-time meetings dating back to the 1982 campaign, when the Cougars eliminated the Aztecs from NCAA regional competition with a 13-3 triumph in Tempe, Arizona.
year, while Miller ranked eighth with a .464 on-base percentage and ninth with 43 runs scored.
> The Aztecs' 2022 roster also features 15 newcomers, including 10 true freshmen, three Division I transfers, and two junior college transfers.
> SDSU is 6-1 overall against UH in San Diego, 0-1 in Houston and 0-1 on a neutral diamond.
> SDSU swept a three-game series at Tony Gwynn Stadium, March 28-30, 2008, the last time the two sides played each other. The Aztecs posted an 8-0 shutout in the opener before winning by scores of 7-6 and 9-6.
> San Diego State and Houston also squared off in the inaugural game played at Petco Park on March 11, 2004, as the Scarlet and Black prevailed, 4-0, in the opener of the Aztec Invitational. The Aztecs-Cougars clash drew 40,106 fans, which marks the largest single-game attendance record for a college baseball game in NCAA history.
SERIES RECORD VS. CALIFORNIA
> Despite a series that dates back to 1947, San Diego State has faced the Golden Bears just eight times in program history, maintaining a 5-3 advantage.
> The teams last met on March 4, 2011 in Tony Gwynn Stadium, as the Aztecs edged a Cal squad that entered with a No. 14 ranking, 2-1.
> SDSU is 4-3 against the Golden Bears in San Diego and 1-0 in Berkeley (1947).
REWIND: AZTECS AMONG NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS IN 2021
> San Diego State will likely alter its offensive approach during the 2022 campaign after a senior-laden team enjoyed an explosive season at the plate in 2021.
> Brian Leonhardt, Caden Miller and Cole Carrigg are the lone regulars from last year's squad that finished second in the nation with a .335 team batting average during the regular season and ranked third with 9.1 runs per game.
> In addition, the Aztecs ranked seventh in the country with a collective .413 on-base percentage and 13th with 420 runs scored overall.
> Leonhardt finished with a career-high .305 batting average tied for third in the Mountain West with 47 RBIs last year.
> Likewise, Miller enjoyed a banner season as well in 2021, compiling a personal-best .345 batting average while occupying the eighth spot in the conference with a .464 on-base percentage and the ninth position with 43 runs scored.
> SDSU will be tasked with filling the shoes of center fielder Matt Rudick (.409, 41 RBIs, 17 SB), right fielder Jaden Fein (.389, 19 2B, 53 RBIs), catcher Wyatt Hendrie (.379/.633/.464, 9 HR, 57 RBIs) and shortstop Mike Jarvis (.367, 17 2B, 32 RBI, 16 SB), all of whom were selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft last July, along with starting pitcher Michael Paredes (4-0, 65 Ks, 77.1 IP).
MR. UTILITY
> Cole Carrigg displayed his versatility in his first year on The Mesa in 2021, appearing in six different positions for the Aztecs.
> The Turlock, California, native made 21 starts at third, five in left field, three in center, three at second base and one at designated hitter.
> Not to be outdone, Carrigg has made two appearances as a relief pitcher, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.
> During a three-game series at Air Force in the penultimate weekend of the regular season, Carrigg hit .545 (6-11) with five RBIs and seven runs scored.
NEWCOMERS READY TO STEP IN
> San Diego State has added 15 newcomers for 2022, including 10 true freshmen, three Division I transfers and two junior college players.
> Among the Aztecs to start this weekend is infielder Alex Rodriguez, who utilized his redshirt season at USC in 2021 after graduating from Damien High School in La Verne, California, where he was a prep teammate of SDSU outfielder Shaun Montoya. Rodriguez was listed as the No. 20 shortstop in California for the class of 2020 by Perfect Game and was an all-Baseline League selection in 2018 and 2019.
> SDSU also expects a big splash from freshman outfielder Irvin Weems, who was ranked as the No. 4 outfielder and seventh-best player overall in Nevada for the class of 2021, according to Perfect Game. A graduate of Durango High School in Las Vegas, Weems earned first-team all-Southern Nevada honors by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as a senior after batting .561 (23-41) with four homers, nine doubles and 27 RBIs in just 15 games, according to MaxPreps. He also scored 20 runs and stole 13 bases in 16 attempts while posting a 1.121 slugging percentage and a .636 on-base percentage.
> Another freshman who has impressed in camp is outfielder Tyler Glowacki, a local product who brings a winning pedigree to The Mesa from nearby Santana High School, which captured the Grossmont Valley League championship in 2021 and advanced to the third round of CIF San Diego Section Open Division playoffs. Glowacki capped the year with an appearance in the CIF San Diego Section All-Star game at Petco Park. He earned a No. 21 ranking among outfielders in California for the class of 2021.
> Although he has been with the program for two years, Tino Bethancourt will likely see his first collegiate action for the Scarlet and Black this weekend at third base. Bethancourt sat out as a redshirt in 2021 after graduating from Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, California, where his senior season was limited to three games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to MaxPreps, he played 78 games during his prep career, batting .285 with three homers, 16 doubles, 37 RBIs and 50 runs scored while posting 12 stolen bases and a .427 on-base percentage.
> Likewise, right-handed pitcher Jadon Bercovich is another player who utilized his redshirt season in 2021 but looks ready to step into a relief role during the upcoming 2022 campaign. A graduate of Damonte Ranch High School in Reno, Nevada, Bercovich twice garnered all-conference accolades and was ranked as the No. 2 right-handed pitcher in that state for the class of 2020 by Perfect Game. He once set a school record with 13 strikeouts in a single game and also played for the Athletics squad at the prestigious Area Code games.
> Robert Brodell will be looking to secure a spot in the bullpen as well after playing two seasons at Imperial Valley College, where he struck out 59 batters in 53.1 innings on the mound. He ranked 23rd in the state as a freshman in 2019 with 10.31 strikeouts per nine innings. Brodell starred at Brawley Union High School, where he was a first-team all-conference selection and two-time MVP. The right-handed hurler contributed to a team that won three straight Imperial Valley League championships to go with a CIF San Diego Section Division III title as junior in 2017.
> Omar Serrano is another rookie pitcher who brings impressive credentials with him to The Mesa after a stellar prep career at Downey High School, where he earned all-CIF Southern Section Division IV honors as a senior after recording a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances with 85 strikeouts in 70.0 innings, according to MaxPreps. Serrano tossed three shutouts in five of his victories that season, including a perfect game vs. Westlake in the first round of the CIF playoffs.
> UC Irvine transfer Shaun Montoya and utility player Johnny Giannola are two redshirt freshmen who will be vying for playing time as well this season after sitting out the 2021 season.
AZTECS PICKED THIRD IN MOUNTAIN WEST PRESEASON POLL
> In a vote of the league's seven head coaches, San Diego State was pegged for a third-place finish in the 2022 Mountain West preseason poll, as announced by the conference office on Feb. 10.
> The Aztecs garnered a total of 25 points, trailing preseason favorite Nevada (36 pts), which received six first-place votes, and second-place UNLV (29 pts), which netted the remaining first-place vote. Fresno State landed in the fourth spot just behind SDSU with 23 points, while Air Force (15 pts) was a distant fifth, followed by New Mexico (11 pts) and San José State (7 pts).
MELTON NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM
> Starting pitcher Troy Melton earned a spot on the preseason all-Mountain West team announced on Feb. 10.
> A native of Anaheim, California, Melton finished among the Mountain West leaders in several categories last year, including strikeouts (2nd), innings pitched (4th), opposing batting average (8th – .291), wins (T-10th) and ERA (11th). The Aztec junior also issued one walk or less in eight of his appearances.
> In addition, Melton received MW Pitcher of the Week recognition after recording his first career shutout vs. Fresno State on March 7, 2021. Against the Bulldogs, he matched his collegiate best with nine strikeouts, allowing just four hits and one walk in the complete-game victory, as SDSU rolled to a 17-0 rout at home.
> Prior to the 2021 campaign, Melton was named to the USA Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List and was ranked 79th on D1Baseball.com's Top 100 college draft prospects.
> In 2020, Melton collected all-Mountain West accolades in a stellar season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, logging a 3-1 record with a 3.22 ERA and 26 strikeouts. He shared the conference lead with three victories, which was tied for 23rd nationally, while his strikeouts and opposing batting average (.192) ranked second and third in the MW, respectively.
GOING, GOING, GONE
> San Diego State homered in 29 of 46 games last season, posting a 21-8 record in those contests.
> The Aztecs have emerged victorious in 43 of their last 58 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.
DELIVERING IN CRUNCH TIME
> The Aztecs batted .347 with two outs last season (190-547), 12 percentage points higher than their team average of .335 for the year.
> In addition, SDSU compiled nearly 43 percent of its RBI total (162/380) with two outs in 2021.
> The Aztecs were 5-1 in walk-off games last year and 4-0 in extra-inning contests.
OTHER TRENDS
> The Aztecs are 95-18 in their last 113 games when scoring five or more runs, including a stellar 29-6 record last year after posting a 6-2 mark in 2020.
> San Diego State is 58-24 in its last 82 games following a loss, including an 11-5 mark in 2021.
> The Aztecs had their 29-game winning streak snapped when leading after six innings in the series finale against San Diego on Feb. 21, 2021.
> On the flip side, SDSU put the brakes a 41-game losing streak when trailing after seven innings the previous day vs. the Toreros.
> After scoring six runs in the bottom of the ninth in their dramatic 10-9 victory over New Mexico on April 2, 2021, the Aztecs snapped a 46-game losing streak when trailing after eight innings dating back to March 20, 2018, when SDSU rallied to beat CSU Bakersfield at home, 5-4.
> Conversely, after UNLV registered an 11-10 comeback victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader in Las Vegas on May 15, 2021, the Aztecs had their 45-game winning streak halted when leading after eight innings. Prior to that game, SDSU's last loss when leading after the eighth occurred on March 10, 2019 in a 6-5 defeat to Nevada at home in 10 innings.
LOCAL HEROES
> San Diego State boasts 11 players on its current roster who are alumni of San Diego County high schools, including Brian Leonhardt and Ricky Tibbett (Eastlake); Fisher Pyatt and Charlie Rhee (St. Augustine); Joseph Ingrassia (Valhalla); Trevor Hazelhurst (Granite Hills), Deron Johnson (Poway); Evan Sipe (San Marcos); Poncho Ruiz (Mater Dei Catholic), Tyler Glowacki (Santana) and Hunter Hargett (Point Loma).
AZTECS IN MLB DRAFT
> Since 1965, San Diego State has had 223 student-athletes chosen in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
> In 2021, the Aztecs had five players picked in the MLB Draft, giving the Scarlet and Black 28 selections overall since 2015.
> Infielder Mike Jarvis was selected by Pittsburgh in the sixth round with the 163rd pick, while catcher Wyatt Hendrie also went to the Pirates shortly thereafter in the seventh round in the 193rd spot overall.
> In addition, the New York Mets grabbed center fielder Matt Rudick in the 13th round (382nd overall); right fielder Jaden Fein was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 15th round (443rd overall), while right-handed pitcher Michael Paredes was snapped up by the Minnesota Twins in the 18th round (549th overall).
> SDSU's five MLB Draft picks in 2021 were the most by a Mountain West school after Fresno State and New Mexico had two apiece, followed by Nevada, San José State and UNLV with one each.
MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO
> After a one-year hiatus, the Mountain West Championship returns this season and will be conducted at Tony Gwynn Stadium, May 26-28. The top four teams in the MW regular-season standings will qualify for the double elimination tournament, with the winner receiving an automatic berth into NCAA regional competition. NCAA Regionals will be held June 3-5.
> SDSU has hosted the MW Championship on four previous occasions, most recently after the 2018 season when the Aztecs claimed their fifth conference crown in a six-year span.
Aztecs Set for MLB4 Tournament in Arizona
