SDSU, Hawaii to Begin Key 4-Game Series Tonight

SAN DIEGO —  San Diego State’s baseball team, which has won 13 straight, plays host to Hawaii at 7 tonight in the opener of an important four-game series that will end the regular season for each team.

The Aztecs (12-8 in the Western Athletic Conference, 35-20-1 overall) trail Hawaii (15-5, 36-16) by three games going into the series. If SDSU sweeps the series, it will win the WAC’s Western Division and host the WAC playoffs next weekend. The Aztecs, who lead Brigham Young by two games, can clinch a spot in the playoffs by winning at least two against Hawaii. BYU plays Utah four times this weekend.

Last weekend on Smith Field, the Aztecs swept a four-game series from BYU to move into second place. SDSU got off to a good start in that series by scoring 14 runs in the first inning of the first game.

The Aztecs had taken seven straight games from Utah before last weekend to escape from the Western Division cellar.

SDSU started the season with four straight losses to Hawaii in Honolulu and were 1-8 after losing the first game of a doubleheader to Utah on April 14.

The Aztecs’ recent hot streak has been a result of good pitching and timely hitting. Outfielder Nikco Riesgo leads the teams in hits with 62 and first baseman Deron Johnson leads the team in RBIs with 40.

Mike Erb got the Aztecs started on their streak when he pitched a 5-1, no-hit victory over Utah on Smith Field two weeks ago. Erb, a sophomore from Madison High School, has struck out 81 batters in 87 innings.