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The Daily Aztec
Baseball building ‘connection’ on and off-field to compete in the Mountain West
Sports
February 7 - March 5, 2024 EDITORS: Eric Evelhoch & Roman Aguilar • sports@thedailyaztec.com
First-year head coach Shaun Cole, the Aztecs are focused on establishing culture By Eric Evelhoch SPORTS EDITOR
There’s a different energy around Tony Gwynn Stadium this season. It’s not just because the Aztecs won a share of the Mountain West Conference regular season championship for the first time since 2004 last season, or because the roster has 20 new freshmen and additional transfers. After two seasons of coaching SDSU to one of the top pitching staffs in the conference, Shaun Cole has taken over as head coach of the Aztecs and is emphasizing
Outfielder Irvin Weems safely slides back into first base after an attempted pickoff. Photo by Olivia Vargo
the team being fully connected. “It’s all a consistent theme and message about preparation, mind and body — how are you doing that?” Cole said. “When we get a group of guys that start thinking that way and working that way, now we’re gonna get them to free up and compete at a high level and you’ll see that aggressive style of baseball.” The Aztecs return 48.7% of their at bats from last season and 39.3% of their RBI production, so building chemistry throughout the lineup and in the field has been critical.
“That’s a big stepping stone to having success in this program,” said junior outfielder Irvin Weems. “We also talked a lot about having leadership and older guys taking over big roles, and even freshmen coming in and having big roles… just playing as a team and being more connected as a whole.” Junior pitcher Chris Canada threw the most innings last season of all returning pitchers. SDSU gets back 41.2% of their innings pitched from last season and 60.4% of their starts on the pitching staff. “We’re all just really looking forward
to pulling on the same rope,” Canada said. “Now there’s no division (between pitchers and hitters), everyone’s just getting in work and we feel as one team.” It’s all part of building the connection and culture heading into the 2024 season. “There’s a different vision, there’s a different energy to it and people like to grab on to that,” Cole said. “Now it’s up to us to continue that momentum — we need to play and we need to win games, but I think right now there’s a good buzz and I think people are excited.”
A season preview of women’s softball, expanding on last year’s success After nearly advancing to the 2023 Women’s College World Series, there’s plenty to be hopeful for in 2024 2024 team members Cali Decker (11) and Mac Barbara (31) celebrate with teammates after a win last season at the SDSU Softball Stadium. Photo by Olivia Vargo
By Roman Aguilar SPORTS EDITOR
The San Diego State women’s softball team has plenty to be excited about heading into the 24 season. Led by head coach Stacey NuvemanDeniz, the Aztecs finished their 2023 season with an overall 39-17 record to advance to the program’s first-ever SuperRegional after winning the NCAA Los Angeles Regional against Liberty. SDSU won the Mountain West tournament — the first held since 2006 — with a perfect 3-0 record after finishing second in regular season play. Nuveman-Deniz — who’s heading into her second year — is 78-33 with two Mountain West Championships, two NCAA tournament appearances and one super regional appearance. Overall, Nuveman-Deniz has a 6-4 record in NCAA tournament games. Nuveman-Deniz’s staff led the program out of the Los Angeles Regional with a 3-0 record that included wins over Liberty (twice) and Grand Canyon. The Scarlet and Black outscored their opponents 19-3. The pitching staff posted a 1.00 (ERA) in 21 innings — striking out 22 against two walks while holding opponents to a .181 average. In the final ESPN/USA Softball poll last season, the Aztecs were ranked No. 18 and No. 19 in the final USA Today poll.
The Scarlet and Black are currently ranked No.23 in the Division I Softball preseason Top 25 poll. This ranking in 2023 marked the second time SDSU has been placed this preseason following a No.25 poll listing in the Softball American poll. Following the end of the 23 campaign, coach Nuveman-Deniz announced the hiring of Caitlin “Curly” Grimes as an assistant coach. Grimes served as an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton for eight seasons before coming to San Diego State. “We are extremely excited to welcome Curly to San Diego State and our Aztec softball tribe,” Nuveman-Deniz said. “She brings a wealth of experience and success to The Mesa and is a fantastic compliment to the rest of our staff. She’s an outstanding mentor and I know our student-athletes will benefit from her tutelage both on and off the field.” Grimes will join a staff that was named the West Region Coaching Staff of the Year. The award represents each of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s 10 Division I regions. Throughout the 2023 season, four players hit at least .340 for the Aztecs in 2023, including outfielder Bella Espinoza (.393, 57 R, 30 SB), catcher Cali Decker (.368, 6 HR, 40 RBI, 29 R), catcher Mac Barbara (.358, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 34 R) and
fielder Jillian Celis (.343, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 42 R). The Scarlet and Black also had three athletes earn NFCA West region honors as Barbara earned first-team honors for the second-straight year, while Decker and pitcher Allie Light were named secondteam all-West region — both for the first time in their careers. San Diego State also earned a leaguehigh seven All-Mountain West selections. Light was added to the First Team joined by Barbara and utility player Makena Brocki, while four Aztecs made it on the Second Team, including Celis, Espinoza, Decker and pitcher Sarah Lehman. Going into the 24 softball season, SDSU is scheduled to play three teams that made the 2023 Women’s College World Series, and 18 games overall against 15 teams that made the NCAA tournament. SDSU is also set to play seven of the teams this year that finished within AP’s Top 25 poll of the RPI last year, including No.1 Oklahoma, No.4 Stanford, No.12 LSU (twice), No.13 Utah, No.15 Nebraska, No.16 Oregon and No.19 Texas A&M (twice). San Diego State begins its 2024 campaign with the SDSU Season Kickoff on Thursday, Feb. 8 to Sunday, Feb. 11 at the SDSU Softball Stadium. The season-opening tournament won’t be easy as the Aztecs kick off the season
against Stanford, which was ranked No. 3, before facing No. 28 Minnesota on Friday and No. 29 Kentucky along with UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. SDSU will then begin conference play with a home series against Utah State from March 15-17. San Diego State will also travel to Fresno State March 22-24, and host Colorado State March 28-30 before heading to New Mexico for a doubleheader on April 3. The team will also welcome MW regular season champion, Boise State, April 6-7 before traveling to play San Jose State April 12-14. The Aztecs will host Nevada for senior weekend from April 26-28, and head to UNLV to end the regular season May 2-4.
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