May 10, 2018
San Jose, Calif. --- The San José State University baseball team will travel to San Diego State for a four-game Mountain West series starting Friday May 11, at 6:00 p.m. inside Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Spartans will play a postponed game from earlier this season on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. acting as the home team.
San José State is tied for third place in the Mountain West standings with Air Force at 11-12. The Spartans moved 0.5 games ahead of UNLV in the standings and have one less loss in the loss-column than the fifth-place Rebels with last weekend's series victory. Fresno State is in sixth at 11-16 and is 2.0 games behind San José State and Air Force. The top four teams qualify for Mountain West Tournament at the end of the month.
Three Day Look Ahead (MW Records)
New Mexico (9-18) @ Air Force (11-12) | Fri. 3:00 p.m., Sat. 1:00 p.m., Sun. 1:00 p.m. |
Nevada (17-6) @ UNLV (11-13) | Fri. 6:05 p.m., Sat. 6:05 p.m., Sun. 1:05 p.m. |
SJSU (11-12) @ SDSU (15-8) | Fri. 6:00 p.m., Sat. 2:00p.m. & 6:00p.m., Sun. 1:00 p.m. |
San José State (21-25, 11-12 MW) vs San Diego State (33-15, 15-8 MW)
Friday • May 11, 2018 • 6:00 p.m. • Tony Gwynn Stadium
Saturday • May 12, 2018 • 2:00 p.m. • Tony Gwynn Stadium
Saturday • May 12, 2018 • 6:00 p.m. • Tony Gwynn Stadium
Sunday • May 13, 2018 • 1:00 p.m. • Tony Gwynn Stadium
Pitching Staff
This season, the 11 Spartan newcomers that have pitched on the roster have accounted for 220 of the 339 strikeouts this season. They have also recorded 12 of the teams wins.
Assistant coach, Tyler LaTorre, remained with the team during the midseason coaching change and was promoted to pitching coach. He has the only undefeated pitcher with at least six wins in the Mountain West.
Series History: San Diego State
The Aztecs are winning the all-time series at 57-20.
Previously this season, the Spartans lost two at home to the Aztecs.
LAST 6 MEETINGS
3/4/18 San Diego State L, 7-2
3/4/18 San Diego State L, 11-1
5/7/17 San Diego State L, 6-5
5/6/17 San Diego State L, 5-3
5/5/17 San Diego State L, 8-4
4/2/17 San Diego State L, 5-1
In Andrew Mitchel's last seven starts, the Spartans have outscored opponents 53-30. He is one of 22 pitchers in division I baseball with at least six wins and an undefeated record. Mitchel is second in the Mountain West in strikeouts with 72, third in opposing batting average at .210, and second in doubles allowed with seven.
Mitchel has been one of the most effective pitchers in the MW. In conference games, he holds a 3.68 ERA with a 5-0 record in 44.0 innings. He has allowed 18 earned runs, 15 walks, and struck out 49 batters.
In conference action, Mitchel has the most wins in the MW with five - first in opposing batting average with .200 - Second in batters struck out with 49 - sixth in innings pitched at 44.0 - seventh in ERA at 3.68 Seventh in hits allowed with 31.
Tevin Cadola holds a 4.18 ERA through 32.1 innings. This season, the junior has allowed 15 earned runs along with 27 strikeouts to 13 walks.
In conference play, he has been even more effective. He holds a 3.33 ERA in 27.0 innings. He has allowed 10 earned runs and has 23 strikeouts to 12 walks. He ranks third in earned runs (6), fifth in ERA (3.33), sixth in hits allowed (21), 11th in opposing batting average (.269).
Defense
SJSU is third in the nation in double plays per game with an average of 1.13 per game. The Spartans are tied for fifth in the nation in double plays turning 52 in 46 games. Last year, the Spartans turned 54 double plays all season.
The Spartans are also second in the Mountain West in fielding percentage.
Flash
In the last 36 games, Kellen Strahm has been one of the most effective hitters on the team batting .357 with an OB% of .434 during that span. His 18-game hit streak ended on 5/6/18. He leads the team in walks with 27, triples with three, doubles with 12 and stolen bases with nine. Strahm is one of the fastest players in the Mountain West. He was the 2017 MW leader in steals with 18. He had three multi-steal games including a season-high three steals versus New Mexico 3/11/17.
Shane "Timbo" Timmons
The three-time letter winner from Mission Viejo, California has started in 149 of the last 152 games for the Spartans. No San José State baseball player has more homers the last four seasons than Timmons with 24. He is currently second all-time in home runs with Robert Berns (1996-97). The current record was set nearly 20 years ago by John Fagan with 25 home runs. The 2017 second team All-Mountain West first baseman finished in the top-10 in several MW conference categories: ninth in slugging percentage (.648), tied for seventh in triples (2), fifth in home runs (7), tied for sixth in hit by pitches (6), first in sacrifice flies (5) and tied for eighth in stolen bases (5).
He is the first Spartan to lead the team in batting average two consecutive seasons since Kevin Frandsen in 2003 and 2004 seasons. Frandsen would become a 12th round pick in the 2004 MLB Draft, and play nine seasons of major league baseball. He would later be inducted into the San José State Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
Bautista is Back
After Bautista redshirted the 2017 season and played only 10 games of 2016, the senior returns to the Spartan lineup without missing a step. Bautista, who had not recorded a hit since March 1, 2016, has a team leading batting average of .367 through 41 games with 61 hits and 32 RBI's.
This season, the senior has 11 three hit games (four of them being consecutive). Bautista has two, double home run games this year.
Seniors
The Spartans are led by the four seniors in the starting lineup. This season, Brett Bautista, Shane Timmons, David Campbell, Kyle Morrison have combined to bat 213-for-641 (.332), with 29 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs, 129 RBI, and 285 TB.
Since 4/7/18 the four seniors have batted .368 racking up 69 RBI. They are part of a team that has recorded two 21 hit games this season. The last time the Spartans had two 20 hit games in a single season was in 2010.