Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team plays just one game this week, taking a Tuesday trip down to San Diego State for a 6 pm PT first pitch against the Aztecs.
The Highlanders (8-12) dropped two of three over the weekend against New Mexico State, taking game one on Friday, 8-2 (
box score/
recap), before falling 4-2 on Saturday (
box score/
recap) and 6-5 in 10 innings on Sunday (
box score/
recap).
The pitching staff put up good numbers with a 3.21 earned run average, 22 Ks, and better than a 3-to-1, strikeout-to-walk ratio. The relief corps was even better, allowing two earned runs in 10.2 innings of work for an ERA of 1.69.
The Highlanders out-hit the Aggies in the series as well, with a slash line of .304/.395/.363 to .235/.307/.275. New Mexico State countered by outhitting UC Riverside .346 to .265 with runners in scoring position, picking off four base runners, and throwing out three would-be base stealers.
Vince Fernandez extended his hitting streak to eight games, reaching safely in nine of his 15 plate appearances during the three-game series. He hit a shade under .500 during that stretch, and has improved his batting average from .283 to a team-high .370. The junior also leads UCR with a .452 on base percentage, and his .444 slugging percentage is second only to Casey Worden's .449. Over the last eight games, the Highlanders as a team have raised their collective average 20 points from .252 to .272.
Right-hander Tyler Musgraves (2-0, 4.02) will take the mound for the Highlanders against San Diego State. After not pitching for the club for two years, the senior grabbed the number four starter role during the fall, and hasn't let go. UCR has won all four of his starts, and Musgraves has allowed just 10 hits in 15.2 innings of work.
The Highlanders' pitching staff has lowered its ERA over the last 10 games from 5.28 to 4.48, and after averaging more than six walks per game over the first 12 contests of the year, UC Riverside has walked just over three batters per game in its last eight.
San Diego State went 41-23 a year ago and advanced to the NCAA Regionals, but they have fallen on hard times in 2016. The Aztecs are 4-13 on the season, including 3-10 at home.
The team's pitching and defense are the primary culprits. The staff has an ERA of 5.76, and has allowed 35 unearned runs—more than two per game—thanks to 33 defensive miscues.
Righty Andy Orozco (1-0, 4.82) gets his second start of the season for San Diego State. He has also made four relief appearances on the year, logging 9.1 innings, striking out seven, while allowing 11 hits and walking just one batter.
The Aztecs' offense is hitting .269/.338/.360, led by Alan Trejo. The sophomore second baseman paces the team with a .380 batting average and a .410 on base percentage. Tyler Adkison is San Diego State's top power threat with a .500 slugging percentage which includes three doubles and three home runs.
The Highlanders are 22-41-1 all-time against the Aztecs (
view results), and San Diego State took three of four from UC Riverside a year ago.
