SDSU’s Colby Turner named MW Freshman of the Week again
Behind junior Omar Serrano’s first career complete game, San Diego State defeated Fresno State in the opener of a Mountain West doubleheader Sunday, 7-1, before the Bulldogs turned the tables in the nightcap with an 11-1 triumph in eight innings.
With the split, the Aztecs moved to 4-7 on the season and 1-2 conference play, as Fresno State (7-3, 2-1 MW) claims the weekend series two games to one.
In the first game, Serrano (1-0) gave the SDSU pitching staff a much-needed boost, posting a season-high six strikeouts while yielding just one run on five hits without a walk for his first victory of the year and second as a collegian.
The Aztec offense came to life with a season-high 14 hits, including four apiece by freshmen Finley Bates and Colby Turner, the latter of whom fell one triple short of the cycle after finishing with three RBI, highlighted by his first career home run.
Not to be outdone, Irvin Weems also got to the act with two hits and a pair of RBI to help the Aztecs jump out to a 5-0 advantage after the first two innings.
The Aztecs kept the momentum in the second when Xavier Gonzalez (Hilltop) and Bates reached on consecutive singles. Turner roped a double down the left-field line, scoring Gonzalez, while Weems followed with an RBI single to bring in Bates.
Turner collected his second straight Mountain West Freshman of the Week award for another set of high-level performances. In four games, Turner led the Aztecs in most offensive categories, including batting average (.500), on-base percentage (.579), slugging percentage (.875), total bases (14), hits (8), runs scored (6) and RBIs (4). Not to be outdone, the SDSU newcomer struck out just once in 16 at-bats during that span.
On deck
The Aztecs resume theirMountain West schedule this weekend when its plays host to Nevada in a three-game series, March 8-10, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Friday’s opener is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. PT, while Saturday’s clash is slated to get underway at 6 p.m., followed by Sunday’s finale at 1 p.m.
Those fans presenting their ticket to the SDSU-Boise State men’s basketball game at the gate will receive free admission to the Aztecs-Wolf Pack baseball contest on Friday. Free sunglasses will also be given away to the first 250 fans prior to Sunday’s game.
SDSU (4-8, 1-2 MW) dropped two of three games at Fresno State last weekend in its first MW series of the season before suffering a 9-2 setback to San Diego in a crosstown battle Tuesday night on The Mesa.
In that contest, the Aztecs nursed a slim 2-1 advantage until the seventh inning when the Toreros plated two runs to take the lead for good. USD then added a pair of three-run homers in the eighth to pull away for the victory.
Freshman third baseman Colby Turner went 3-for-4 with a run scored vs. the Toreros, raising his batting average to a team-high .426 for the season, which ranks second in the Mountain West. The Huntington Beach native also shares the top spot in the conference with 20 hits and 33 total bases and is tied for fifth with 12 RBI.
The Aztecs have also received a boost from another freshman, Jacob McCombs, who leads the team with 12 RBI and three home runs, which is tied for fifth and sixth in the conference, respectively, as of March 7.
McCombs made huge splash during SDSU’s season-opening homestand, launching a pair of grand slams against. Cal State Northridge (Feb. 21) and CSU Bakersfield (Feb. 24) for his first two collegiate homers.
As a staff, SDSU pitchers lead the Mountain West in strikeouts (129), opponent batting average (.234) and innings pitched (108.0) while occupying the third spot in in team ERA (4.44) and fewest hits allowed (94).
Offensively, SDSU tops the conference with 31 doubles, which is tied for 21st in the nation, while ranking third in the MW with 111 hits and 73 runs scored. SDSU also shares the third spot in the league this week with 64 RBIs and occupies the fifth position in team batting average (.260).
This weekend, SDSU is projected to utilize the starting rotation of right-handers Jacob Riordan (1-0, 4.40 ERA, 16 SO), Omar Serrano (1-0, 2.55 ERA, 13 SO) and Xavier Cardenas III (1-1, 5.65 ERA, 13 SO),
A transfer from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Riordan will be making his first start in an Aztec uniform on Friday after pitching five games as reliever to begin the season. The SDSU graduate student picked up his first victory on The Mesa against Missouri at the Tony Gwynn Legacy on Feb. 23, offsetting five hits and one walk with six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
In 2023, Riordan started 11 of 15 games at UAPB, logging a 3-5 record in 67.0 innings pitched with a school-record strikeouts, which ranked sixth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Serrano is expected to take the hill for the Aztecs on Saturday, looking to build on his gem at Fresno State on March 2, when he tossed his first career complete game. The SDSU junior posted a season-high six strikeouts while yielding just one run on five hits without a walk for his first win of the year and second as a collegian.
Like Serrano, Cardenas is slated to make his fourth straight start when he takes the mound on Sunday. The Aztec sophomore was tagged with the loss in his last outing at Fresno State on March 3, when he surrendered five runs on six hits and two walks to go with four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Serrano and Cardenas have made just one previous appearance against Nevada, with both hurlers pitching in the series finale at Tony Gwynn Stadium last season when the Wolf Pack claimed a 10-4 decision.
Serrano started that contest and absorbed the defeat after giving up four runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout in 3 2/3 innings, while Cardenas was SDSU’s sixth reliever of the day, entering in the ninth to retire the final two batters via strikeout.
Irvin Weems owns the team’s longest active hitting streak at six games, raising his batting average from .238 to .293 since the Utah game on Feb. 25. In addition, the Aztec outfielder has reached base safely in his last six starts.
In addition, Colby Turner reached base safely in the first 10 games of the season before coming up empty in the second game of a doubleheader at Fresno State on March 3.
Turner tops the squad with multiple hits in five games this year and has totaled two or more RBIs in three contests, sharing the team lead with Jacob McCombs, Jake Jackson and Brady Lavoie.
Turner (third base) and Shaun Montoya (right field) are the only two Aztecs to play one position in the field this season. Weems has also appeared in all 12 games this year, making eight starts in center field and four in left.
Elsewhere, Finley Bates has missed just one game this season, starting nine games at second base and two at shortstop.
Late Surge Powers USD Past Aztec Baseball, 9-2
Toreros pull away with two three-run homers in eighth inning
San Diego State fell victim to a late surge by visiting San Diego on Tuesday (March 5), as the Toreros combined for eight runs during the seventh and eighth innings to claim a 9-2 victory in a non-conference game at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
With the loss, the Aztecs slip to 4-8 on the season, while USD moves to 5-6 overall.
Reigning two-time Mountain West Freshman of the Week Colby Turner went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Jacob McCombs launched his third homer of the season to help give the Scarlet and Black a 2-1 lead that stood until the seventh when the Toreros vaulted in front for good.
Chula Vista native Ariel Armas (St. Augustine) led off the fateful frame for USD with a single before circling the bases on CV native Angelo Peraza’s double to the gap in right center. Shortly thereafter, Dustin Allen reached on a bunt single, while Jack Gurevitch grounded out to second, plating Peraza to give the visitors a 3-2 edge.
The Toreros essentially put the game out of reach with a pair of three-run homers in the eighth by Peraza and Jack Costello, capitalizing on two walks, a hit batter and an SDSU throwing error.
With two runners aboard after Ryan Ward was hit by a pitch and Armas reached on a fielder’s choice, Peraza went deep for the first time this year, while Costello connected for his third blast of the season moments later after Allen walked and Gurevitch reached on an errant throw to first following a grounder to the pitcher.
Trailing 9-2, the Aztecs loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth when Drew Rutter doubled down the left-field line and Manoah Chapman was hit by a pitch before Brady Lavoie drew a walk.
However, USD’s fifth pitcher of the night, Vaughn Mauterer, received a strikeout and a fielder’s choice grounder to end the game.
The teams combined to utilize 12 hurlers for the game, including seven for San Diego State.
Despite allowing two hits and a pair of walks in one inning-plus, Ivran Romero (1-1) earned the victory, fending off trouble in the sixth after Turner singled up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Irvin Weems drew a walk. However, the Torero right-hander struck out McCombs to prevent the Aztecs from extending their 2-1 lead.
SDSU also threatened in the seventh when Rutter walked and motored around to third on Tino Bethancourt’s sharp single to left. However, Conner Thurman replaced Romero and promptly struck out the next three hitters to derail another scoring opportunity for the Aztecs.
In all, both teams stranded nine baserunners for the evening.
USD opened the scoring in the first when Costello’s sacrifice fly plated Peraza, who led off the game with a walk.
SDSU responded with McCombs’ third dinger of the season with one out in the second, with the Aztec designated hitter cranking a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right off Torero starter Ryan Kysar.
SDSU added a single marker in the fourth when Weems doubled home Turner, who previously laced a one-out single through the left side.
Freshman Garvey Rumary made his first collegiate start on Tuesday, yielding one run on three hits and four walks to go with a season-high four strikeouts in four innings of work.
Rumary’s counterpart Kysar also fanned four batters in five innings pitched, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk.
San Diego State continues its homestand this weekend when it plays host to Nevada in a three-game Mountain West series, March 8-10, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Friday’s clash is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start, and those fans displaying their ticket to the SDSU-Boise State men’s basketball showdown will receive free admission to the Aztecs-Wolf Pack baseball game.
SDSU BASEBALL 2024 SEASON ROSTER
San Diego County Locals
Jake Jackson (Madison), freshman OF
Xavier Gonzalez (Hilltop), senior IF
Cade Martinez (St. Augustine), sophomore IF
Manoah Chapman (Madison), freshman IF
A.J. Klubeck (Westview), freshman IF/OF
Brady Lavoie (La Costa Canyon), R-junior IF
Nico Tomasello (Granite Hills), freshman RHP
Trevor Fox (St. Augustine), sophomore 1B/LHP
Evan Sipe (San Marcos), junior catcher
USD BASEBALL 2024 SEASON ROSTER
San Diego County Locals
Angelo Peraza (St. Augustine), senior UT
Austin Smith (Granite Hills), junior, LHP/OF
Nico Libed (Eastlake), freshman C
Ryan Ward (Coronado), R-freshman IF
Jakob Christian (St. Augustine), junior 1B/OF
Ariel Armas (St. Augustine), junior C
Ivan Romero (Poway), senior RHP
Ben Haar (Helix), sophomore UT
UC SAN DIEGO BASEBALL 2024 SEASON ROSTER
San Diego County Locals
Sam Hasegawa (Carlsbad), junior LHP
Ryan Forucci (San Marcos), junior RHP
Julian Custer (Francis Parker), freshman RHP
Xavier Feranco (St. Augustine), R-freshman RHP/SS
Cole Wilkson (Torrey Pines), R-freshman OF
Devon King (Mar Vista), freshman RHP/OF
