SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose State baseball is looking to break a six-game losing skid as they welcome Mountain West foe New Mexico to Excite Ballpark for a three-game series Friday through Sunday. The Spartans currently lead the MW standings while New Mexico checks in at fourth.
Games Nos. 30-32
San José State (14-15, 8-4) vs. New Mexico (15-14, 6-6)
Friday, April 5 | 6:00 p.m. PT
Saturday, April 6 | 2:00 p.m. PT
Sunday, April 7 | 12:00 p.m. PT
Excite Ballpark | San Jose, Calif.
scouting new mexico
» Led by 12th-year head coach Ray Birmingham, the Lobos check into the weekend with a 15-14 overall record and sit in fourth in the MW standings at an even 6-6.
» Jared Mang, like SJSU's Kellen Strahm, is one of the top hitters in the conference. He sits atop the conference standings in hits, runs scored, RBI, doubles, triples and second only to Strahm in batting average.
» This is the second meeting of 2019 between the programs. The first series in Albuquerque saw the Lobos win the series 2-1. SJSU took the final game however in a thrilling 22-18 final that lasted 4:52.
Leading the pack
» San Jose State currently sits atop the Mountain West standings with a 8-4 mark in league play. The Spartans are one of just four teams above .500 in conference play.
Looking to break the skid
» The Spartans are currently on a six-game losing skid, however all six are against nonconference opponents.
HOME Sweet home
» SJSU is playing its best ball in front of the home crowd inside Municipal Stadium. The Spartans are currently 8-3 in home contests while hitting .297 .
20-20 vision
» The Spartans have scored 20 runs not once, but twice already in 2019. The first time came in the series finale at Santa Clara in a 20-10 victory.
» The second time was in the series finale at New Mexico as the Spartans walked away with a 22-18 victory in a nine-inning game that lasted 4:52.
strahm stays strong
» Kellen Strahm has established himself as one of the most feared hitters in the Mountain West this season. The junior leads the conference in batting average (.415) and is in the top three in hits (44), runs scored (29) and stolen bases (13-of-15).
» Strahm is the only player in the MW hitting above .400 (minimum 2.0 AB per game).
» Strahm also ranks near the top in several NCAA categories as well.
Batting Average 21st
Hits 25th
On base % 24th
a performance for the ages
» Senior left-handed pitcher Andrew Mitchel put on one of the finest peformances ever seen on the mound in SJSU history on March 8 in the Spartans 4-1 win over Air Force. The Atwater, California, product tossed a complete game with a remarkable 18 strikeouts, the most thrown at any level in the NCAA this season.
» The strikeout total ranks second-most in a nine-inning game in school history and the most since 1964. It is also the second-most in Mountain West history behind Stephen Strasburg's 23 vs. Utah on April 11, 2008.
MW pitchers of the week
» The Spartans have been honored by the league office in back-to-back weeks as Andrew Mitchel and Fineas Del Bonta-Smith were the Mountain West Pitchers of the Week. Mitchel earned the honor first for his 18-strikeout performance while Bonta-Smith picked up the award after a combined effort in the UNLV series in which he secured a win to improve to 2-1 and tallied two saves to bring his season total to five.
fantastic finn
» Fineas Del Bonta-Smith has been outstanding in closing out games this far for the Spartans. After recording five total saves in 2018, Finn has already tallied seven saves in the first 2018-19.
» Bonta-Smith's seven saves are tied for the third-most in school history and are 14th in the NCAA this season.
» Bonta-Smith has 12 saves in his Spartan career, tied for the second-most in school history. Zack Jones currently holds the record of 15.
mr. k
» Andrew Mitchel leads the Mountain West and ranks 27th in the NCAA with 56 strikeouts. His 12.92 strikeouts per nine innings rank 20th nationally.
second year for sanfilippo
» Head coach Brad Sanfilippo had an outstanding first season at the helm of SJSU baseball as interim coach in 2018, leading the Spartans to a 27-30 overall record and a third-place finish in the Mountain West standings with a 16-14 record, their most conference wins since 2008. Sanfilippo was promoted to head coach following the season on June 12, 2018.