By Daniel Reedy:
The San Jose State Spartans (30-15, 9-6 in MW) enter their third-to-last series of the season, taking on the New Mexico Lobos (20-20, 6-9 in MW) for a three-game set beginning today.
SJSU swept New Mexico in the last series of 2016 and have won five of the last 6 contests between the two teams. The Spartans enter the series on back-to-back wins.
The Lobos have slumped the last three weeks, losing five of their last six games and seven of their last nine. The recent defeats have dropped New Mexico to sixth place (only projected to finish eighth by the preseason coaches rankings).
The Spartans strength is the pitching of seniors Colette Riggs and Katelyn Linford — who each rank in the top-6 in the Mountain West for ERA and opposing batting average. Linford leads the conference in strikeouts.
However — despite their inconsistency — the Spartans still boast a volatile offense lead by seniors Chelsea Jenner and Casey Watt and freshmen Cassidy Clark and Georgia Blair.
Jenner owns the top batting average on the team after a mid-season surge has boosted her to .389.
Watt lead the team in hitting for much of the first half of the season and though her production has dipped, she still carries a .336/.437/.504 slash line out of the 2-hole.
Though she is not the typical No. 3 hitter, Clark continues to produce in her first season of college ball. She has little power but is hitting .357 (17th in MW) with a .507 on base percentage, good for third in the conference.
Blair’s six home runs this season are at least double the total for every other Spartan and she has maintained a .368. Still, SJSU’s 19 HRs rank seventh in the MW.
Meanwhile, New Mexico ranks sixth with 24 HRs, lead by three players with four homers each: Jasmine Casados, Michala Erickson and Chelsea Johnson.
Casados is also hitting .418, second to only senior Shelby Franc .436 average.
The Lobos have struggled on the mound this season, placed in last for opposing batting average and second-to-last in ERA. They are also at the bottom of the conference in strikeouts with 117.
To put that in perspective, Linford has 167.
The Spartans are still in striking distance of first place as they enter the three-game matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.