Tuesday, May 3
Las Vegas
2:05 PM
California Baptist University
at
UNLV
Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo
BASE PREVIEW: CBU Prepares for Four-Game Week vs. UNLV and NM State
5/2/2022 9:48:00 AM | Baseball
RIVERSIDE – For the first time in three weeks, California Baptist University baseball will be playing four games this week, with a mid-week contest at UNLV and a home series with NM State.
The Lancers have won three of their last five games but are looking to bounce back from a series loss at Sacramento State. UNLV is also looking to rebound from being swept by Air Force over the weekend, while NM State has won four of its last six and is coming off a series win over Dixie State.
CBU still sits alone in second place in the Western Athletic Conference West Division standings, with a 26-14 overall and 12-9 league record. Grand Canyon leads at 17-4 in conference, while Sacramento State is not far off the Lancers in third at 13-11. Dixie State (11-13), Seattle U (10-13), NM State (8-13) and Utah Valley (9-15) fill in from fourth through seventh.
MARTIN MAKES HISTORY
David Martin continued his hitting streak last week and now has 21-straight games with a hit. A 22-game streak would tie for the second-longest in the Lancers' modern era, while Aaron Seuss holds that record at 35 games. This season, Martin is hitting .406 with a 1.088 OPS, .579 slugging percentage and .509 OBP. He has 54 hits, 44 runs, eight doubles, five homers and 32 RBI in 39 games and 33 starts in 2022. Overall in NCAA Division I this year, he ranks 19th in batting average and 14th in OBP.
CHECK OUT CHAVEZ
True freshman Josiah Chavez is surging and has played his way into regular at-bats, as he's hitting .727 (8-for-11) and slugging 1.455 with two doubles, two homers and has a .786 on-base percentage with three walks to one strikeout over the last five games. He's also scored four times and has three runs batted in. He put together a career game at Sacramento State on Sunday, as he went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs scored. It has boosted his batting average to .423, his slugging percentage to .846 and OBP to .543 this season.
SERIES NOTES WITH UNLV
This season marked the first meeting between these two teams, with CBU taking the inaugural matchup on a 10-7 score on March 14 at Totman Stadium. Nine Lancers combined for 15 hits in the win over the Rebels, with Jake Skipworth and David Martin each picking up three hits and Harrison Spohn and Josh Paino notching two of their own. Nine pitchers threw for the Lancers in the game. Both teams found themselves tied 7-7 through eight-and-a-half innings after UNLV scored four-straight runs, including three in the top of the eighth. CBU responded with three more runs in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded-and-clearing double from Spohn.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: UNLV
Dates/Times: Tuesday, May 3 (2:05 p.m.)
Location: Las Vegas (Earl E. Wilson Stadium)
Video: YouTube
Live Stats: Sidearm
A LOOK AT THE REBELS
UNLV sits atop the Mountain West Conference standings with 29-16 overall and 17-7 league records and has gone 20-8 since its loss to CBU. The Rebels were picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference's preseason poll. The Rebels have wins over Michigan State, San Diego, Hawaii, Cal Poly, San Diego State and Arizona State.
So far this season, UNLV has relied on its offense for success as it comes in batting .339, slugging .545 and maintaining a .428 on-base percentage. As a pitching staff, the Rebels have a 6.48 earned-run average and .319 batting average against.
Eight of the Rebels' regular players are hitting .306 or better, with seven batting above .340. Henry Zeisler leads the way with a .418 batting average, .709 slugging percentage and .525 OBP. Rylan Charles (.383), Austin Kryszczuk (.374), Joey Walls (.370), Diego Alarcon (.358), Santiago Panaro (.351), Edarian Williams (.344) and Jordan Andrade (.306) add to the formidable lineup.
The Rebels have 61 homers on the year with several power threats, as six players: Kryszczuk (10), Zeisler (nine), Walls (eight), Alarcon (eight), Williams (eight) and Eric Bigani (seven) come in with at least seven homers.
On the mound, UNLV has a bevy of options to choose from, as six pitchers have made at least nine appearances out of the bullpen. Hayden Neirman is the go-to arm with a team-high 16 appearances and four saves on the year. Nick Rupp and Troy Balko each have three saves this season, as well.
SERIES NOTES WITH NM STATE
This is the fourth-ever series between CBU and NM State, but it will be the first meeting taking place in Riverside. Nevertheless, the Lancers own a 9-1 advantage in the matchup after sweeping the first series this season in Las Cruces.
CBU has won eight-straight games in this series after sweeping all four games in 2021 on a 42-19 margin overall and then winning the first three games between these two back in April on a 28-9 differential.
The Lancers also won the series opener and finale in 2019, with 5-3 and 9-4 wins. California Baptist's last win came on the final day of the regular and clinched the Lancers a share of the 2019 Western Athletic Conference title. CBU trailed NMSU 3-1 through seven innings but a seven-run eighth inning brought the Lancers all the way back to a 9-4 win.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: NM State
Dates/Times: Friday, May 6 (6 p.m.); Saturday, May 7 (5 p.m.); Sunday, May 8 (12 p.m.)
Location: Riverside, Calif. (Totman Stadium)
Video: ESPN+: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats: StatBroadcast: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
AGGIES AT A GLANCE
Coach Mike Kirby is in his third season in Las Cruces and is the 11th head coach in the program's history.
The Aggies have won four conference championships, with two in the regular season and two tournament titles. NMSU has also made four NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2018.
NM State comes into this week batting .303, slugging .498 and maintaining a .381 on-base percentage. Seven Aggies come in batting over .305: Gunner Antillon (.424), Kevin Jimenez (.367), Logan Gallina (.340), Tommy Tabak (.322), Cal Villareal (.317), Cal Kilgore (.315) and Ryan Grabosch (.309). Gallina is the top power threat with a team-high 16 homers, .699 slugging percentage and 47 runs batted in.
New Mexico State's pitching staff sports a 6.58 earned-run average, 1.70 WHIP and .313 batting average against. Ian Mejia leads the starting rotation with 10 starts, a 3.84 ERA, a 4-2 record and 65.2 innings pitched. Pablo Cortes is the other constant in the Aggies' rotation with nine starts, while Rorik Maltrud, Sammy Natera and Cam Blazek have each made at least four starts.
Alex Bustamonte is the closer with saves in a team-high 19 appearances on the year, while Noah Estrella (15), Blazek (14), Brendon Rodriguez (14), Frank Dickson IV (13) and Lyle Hibbitts (13) have all made at least 13 appearances.
The Lancers have won three of their last five games but are looking to bounce back from a series loss at Sacramento State. UNLV is also looking to rebound from being swept by Air Force over the weekend, while NM State has won four of its last six and is coming off a series win over Dixie State.
CBU still sits alone in second place in the Western Athletic Conference West Division standings, with a 26-14 overall and 12-9 league record. Grand Canyon leads at 17-4 in conference, while Sacramento State is not far off the Lancers in third at 13-11. Dixie State (11-13), Seattle U (10-13), NM State (8-13) and Utah Valley (9-15) fill in from fourth through seventh.
MARTIN MAKES HISTORY
David Martin continued his hitting streak last week and now has 21-straight games with a hit. A 22-game streak would tie for the second-longest in the Lancers' modern era, while Aaron Seuss holds that record at 35 games. This season, Martin is hitting .406 with a 1.088 OPS, .579 slugging percentage and .509 OBP. He has 54 hits, 44 runs, eight doubles, five homers and 32 RBI in 39 games and 33 starts in 2022. Overall in NCAA Division I this year, he ranks 19th in batting average and 14th in OBP.
CHECK OUT CHAVEZ
True freshman Josiah Chavez is surging and has played his way into regular at-bats, as he's hitting .727 (8-for-11) and slugging 1.455 with two doubles, two homers and has a .786 on-base percentage with three walks to one strikeout over the last five games. He's also scored four times and has three runs batted in. He put together a career game at Sacramento State on Sunday, as he went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs scored. It has boosted his batting average to .423, his slugging percentage to .846 and OBP to .543 this season.
SERIES NOTES WITH UNLV
This season marked the first meeting between these two teams, with CBU taking the inaugural matchup on a 10-7 score on March 14 at Totman Stadium. Nine Lancers combined for 15 hits in the win over the Rebels, with Jake Skipworth and David Martin each picking up three hits and Harrison Spohn and Josh Paino notching two of their own. Nine pitchers threw for the Lancers in the game. Both teams found themselves tied 7-7 through eight-and-a-half innings after UNLV scored four-straight runs, including three in the top of the eighth. CBU responded with three more runs in the bottom of the inning on a bases-loaded-and-clearing double from Spohn.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: UNLV
Dates/Times: Tuesday, May 3 (2:05 p.m.)
Location: Las Vegas (Earl E. Wilson Stadium)
Video: YouTube
Live Stats: Sidearm
A LOOK AT THE REBELS
UNLV sits atop the Mountain West Conference standings with 29-16 overall and 17-7 league records and has gone 20-8 since its loss to CBU. The Rebels were picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference's preseason poll. The Rebels have wins over Michigan State, San Diego, Hawaii, Cal Poly, San Diego State and Arizona State.
So far this season, UNLV has relied on its offense for success as it comes in batting .339, slugging .545 and maintaining a .428 on-base percentage. As a pitching staff, the Rebels have a 6.48 earned-run average and .319 batting average against.
Eight of the Rebels' regular players are hitting .306 or better, with seven batting above .340. Henry Zeisler leads the way with a .418 batting average, .709 slugging percentage and .525 OBP. Rylan Charles (.383), Austin Kryszczuk (.374), Joey Walls (.370), Diego Alarcon (.358), Santiago Panaro (.351), Edarian Williams (.344) and Jordan Andrade (.306) add to the formidable lineup.
The Rebels have 61 homers on the year with several power threats, as six players: Kryszczuk (10), Zeisler (nine), Walls (eight), Alarcon (eight), Williams (eight) and Eric Bigani (seven) come in with at least seven homers.
On the mound, UNLV has a bevy of options to choose from, as six pitchers have made at least nine appearances out of the bullpen. Hayden Neirman is the go-to arm with a team-high 16 appearances and four saves on the year. Nick Rupp and Troy Balko each have three saves this season, as well.
SERIES NOTES WITH NM STATE
This is the fourth-ever series between CBU and NM State, but it will be the first meeting taking place in Riverside. Nevertheless, the Lancers own a 9-1 advantage in the matchup after sweeping the first series this season in Las Cruces.
CBU has won eight-straight games in this series after sweeping all four games in 2021 on a 42-19 margin overall and then winning the first three games between these two back in April on a 28-9 differential.
The Lancers also won the series opener and finale in 2019, with 5-3 and 9-4 wins. California Baptist's last win came on the final day of the regular and clinched the Lancers a share of the 2019 Western Athletic Conference title. CBU trailed NMSU 3-1 through seven innings but a seven-run eighth inning brought the Lancers all the way back to a 9-4 win.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: NM State
Dates/Times: Friday, May 6 (6 p.m.); Saturday, May 7 (5 p.m.); Sunday, May 8 (12 p.m.)
Location: Riverside, Calif. (Totman Stadium)
Video: ESPN+: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats: StatBroadcast: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
AGGIES AT A GLANCE
Coach Mike Kirby is in his third season in Las Cruces and is the 11th head coach in the program's history.
The Aggies have won four conference championships, with two in the regular season and two tournament titles. NMSU has also made four NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2018.
NM State comes into this week batting .303, slugging .498 and maintaining a .381 on-base percentage. Seven Aggies come in batting over .305: Gunner Antillon (.424), Kevin Jimenez (.367), Logan Gallina (.340), Tommy Tabak (.322), Cal Villareal (.317), Cal Kilgore (.315) and Ryan Grabosch (.309). Gallina is the top power threat with a team-high 16 homers, .699 slugging percentage and 47 runs batted in.
New Mexico State's pitching staff sports a 6.58 earned-run average, 1.70 WHIP and .313 batting average against. Ian Mejia leads the starting rotation with 10 starts, a 3.84 ERA, a 4-2 record and 65.2 innings pitched. Pablo Cortes is the other constant in the Aggies' rotation with nine starts, while Rorik Maltrud, Sammy Natera and Cam Blazek have each made at least four starts.
Alex Bustamonte is the closer with saves in a team-high 19 appearances on the year, while Noah Estrella (15), Blazek (14), Brendon Rodriguez (14), Frank Dickson IV (13) and Lyle Hibbitts (13) have all made at least 13 appearances.
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballCBU Baseball vs UCR Series (Cinematic Highlight)
Monday, June 17
CBU Baseball Hype Video 2023-2024
Tuesday, June 04
California Baptist University Athletics Master Facility Plan Update
Wednesday, August 17
CBU Baseball vs Coppin State - Opening Night
Friday, February 25
