The San José State baseball team announced on March 9 that it will host the University of California (Cal) on Tuesday, March 10, before starting Mountain West Conference play with a three-game series against New Mexico this weekend.
The upcoming games mark an important stretch for the Spartans, who currently hold a record of 4-11. The matchup against Cal is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch, while the series with New Mexico will take place Friday at 6:05 p.m., Saturday at 2:05 p.m., and Sunday at noon. All four games will be available to watch on the Mountain West Network.
This meeting will be the first between San José State and Cal this season. The teams are set to face each other again in Berkeley on April 15. Last year, the Spartans defeated Cal 14-5 in their only meeting at Excite Ballpark. Against New Mexico, San José State lost the regular season series but later beat the Lobos 6-3 in the opening round of the Mountain West Tournament.
Alex Fernandes has emerged as one of the top performers in the conference so far this season. He leads the Mountain West in batting average with .464 and is second in hits with 26. Fernandes has reached base in every game this season, contributing to his .549 on-base percentage, which ranks second in the conference. He also stands out in several other categories including doubles (second), stolen bases (tied for fifth), slugging percentage (fifth), walks (tied for eighth), and runs scored (eighth).
Additionally, Tyler Albanese, Alex Fernandes, and Kyle Calzadiaz were named to the preseason All-Mountain West Team.
The upcoming games provide an opportunity for San José State to improve its record as it enters conference play.
