Part of the reason SDSU is favored in the three-game series is because of its experience in the field. The Aztecs have eight hitters with two years of Division I experience or more. In comparison, UNM has just two batters — junior second baseman Sam Haggerty and junior shortstop Jared Holley — with two years of Division I skill.
“Just by experience alone we’re the underdogs,” head coach Ray Birmingham said. “I consider us underdogs these next two weekends. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to win them.”
SDSU has gotten off to a 12-1 record this year, which is the team’s best start since the 1984 season when the Aztecs went 18-1. The Aztecs’ only loss has been a 3-2 match against UC Riverside. However, SDSU has yet to leave Southern California this season and has only played three road games this year.
“San Diego State is always a hot team. They always start out hot,” Holley said. “They always give it their all during conference. We just have to be ready for that. We see that during the conference tournament, because they’re always dominating.”
In the preseason Mountain West coaches poll, UNM and SDSU were picked to finish first and second, respectively — and for good reason. The Lobos and the Aztecs are the only teams to claim consecutive Mountain West championships the past two years. UNM (7-2, 2-1 MW) has won at least a share of the regular season title the past two seasons, while SDSU has earned back-to-back MW tournament titles.
“We always want to be on top, especially when you’re facing a good team like San Diego State,” redshirt junior pitcher Victor Sanchez said. “They’ve had a couple of good years in the tournament and in the regular season. We feel like we’re right up there with them; we feel like it’s our conference to lose.”
As a team, SDSU ranks 10th nationally in hitting at .322. The Aztecs have four players hitting .340 or better, including the reigning Mountain West Player of the Week Steven Pallares. The senior outfielder is batting .456, has an on-base percentage of .523 and is slugging .649.
“It’s just another guy; you really can’t look at the numbers too much,” Sanchez said. “We haven’t faced them yet. We’re a new team to them and they’re a new team to us.”
The Aztecs’ pitching has been just as good as their offense. SDSU has a team ERA of 3.72 and opposing hitters are batting just .265.
Starters Mark Seyler and Bubba Derby have dominated thus far for the Aztecs. Seyler has an ERA of 2.00 and has struck out 20 batters, while Bubba has an ERA 2.41 and has 30 strikeouts on the year.
“San Diego State always has good pitching,” Holley said. “We’re just going to keep hitting as a team. We just have to buy in to what Coach B is preaching.”
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Thomas Romero-Salas is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ThomasRomeroS.
