MORAGA, Calif. — The Gaels return home this weekend to begin a nine-game homestand, starting with a weekend series against UC Riverside and a mid-week matchup against San Jose State.

SCHEDULE
Game #8
Saint Mary's Gaels (2-5) vs. UC Riverside Highlanders (3-5)
Friday, February 28, 2:00 p.m.
Moraga, Calif. – Louis Guisto Field
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Game #9
Saint Mary's Gaels (2-5) vs. UC Riverside Highlanders (3-5)
Saturday, February 29, 1:00 p.m.
Moraga, Calif. – Louis Guisto Field 
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Game #10
Saint Mary's Gaels (2-5) vs. UC Riverside Highlanders (3-5)
Sunday, March 1, 1:00 p.m.
Moraga, Calif. – Louis Guisto Field
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Game #11
Saint Mary's Gaels (2-5) vs. San Jose State Spartans (3-5)
Tuesday, March 3, 2:00 p.m.
Moraga, Calif. – Louis Guisto Field
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SCOUTING REPORT
Saint Mary's had a difficult roadtrip last weekend as they were unable to pick up a win against No. 10 UCLA. The Gaels were only able to score one run all weekend, which came in game two of the three-game series thanks to a RBI single from Gio Diaz which drove in Jacob Talamante who had previously walked. Otherwise, the Bruins blanked the Gaels as they were able to shut out SMC in game one (0-5) and game three (0-2), as well as outscore SMC 14 to 1 through the three games. Following two games where the Gaels scored eight or more runs, Saint Mary's was hoping to bring more offensive production into a tough environment. SMC looks to return home this week and turn things around against UC Riverside and San Jose State. The Gaels went 22-3 at Louis Guisto Field in 2019 and will attempt to repeat this success in 2020.

Despite a tough road trip, junior Gio Diaz continued to turn in positive offensive numbers for the Gaels as he has done all season. Diaz is hitting .484 (1st WCC, 42nd nationally) through the first seven games and has recorded a team-high, 15 hits thus far which is good enough to be ranked first in the West Coast Conference and 10th in the nation. He also has the best on-base percentage among his teammates (.500). Redshirt junior Nico Lima, who is new to the team this season, is also bringing a lot of power to the lineup as he has a .310 batting average with nine hits, nine RBIs, and two home runs thus far. His two homers are ranked third best in the conference. Senior Ryan Novis also has nine hits this season as he looks to achieve another strong season following 2019 when he recorded 75 hits and a batting average of .328 to end the season.

UC RIVERSIDE
The Highlanders have a record of 3-5 through the first two weeks of the season. UC Riverside began their year by dropping four straight matchups; three to UCLA and one to Seattle University. Their first win of the season came last Friday against California Baptist when they took the 7-4 victory in the first of a three-game series. They lost the second game, however the Highlanders won big in their final game of the series as they put up 14 runs. Most recently, the Highlanders beat out UNLV 3-2 in an extra innings matchup on Tuesday. UC Riverside ended the 2019 season with a record of 20-36 and they were 8-16 in Big West Conference play. The Gaels and the Highlanders have not face one another since the 2013 when UC Riverside swept SMC in a three-game series. Saint Mary's has not had a win versus the Highlanders since 2011.

Senior Travis Bohall is leading the team offensively this season as he has posted a team-high .360 batting average through the first seven games. Bohall has nine hits this season including one home run. He recorded a season-high four hits in Monday's matchup against Cal Baptist as well as earned an RBI and stole one base. Junior Dylan Orick has also been hot at the plate thus far as he has collected eight hits (two doubles, one home run) and seven RBIs. Junior Cole Pofek has also posted seven hits with a double, a triple, and a home run. On the mound, redshirt-junior Cole Percival has started in two games for the Highlanders and pitched a total of 11.0 innings. Percival has a 1-0 record with 11 hits, four earned runs, and 11 strikeouts.

SAN JOSE STATE
The Spartans are 3-5 through their first two series of the season after being swept in a four-game series by Santa Clara and then winning two out of three against Creighton. San Jose State's most recent win came against San Francisco where they put up 13 runs to defeat the local opponent. The Spartans have recorded 30 runs against their previous two opponents after putting up 17 runs against Creighton and 13 against USF. Prior to their mid-week matchup against Saint Mary's, San Jose State will play a four-game weekend series against Utah Valley. The Spartans ended the 2019 season with a record of 20-34 and they went 13-17 in the Mountain West Conference. Saint Mary's and San Jose State met twice last season, as the Spartans took the first matchup 7-3 before the Gaels won 14-1 in the second meeting between the teams.

Redshirt-sophomore Ruben Ibarra currently leads the Spartans with a total of 10 hits on the season including three doubles and a home run. Ibarra earned a season-high, three hits during game two of the Creighton series while he collected his single home run in the season opener against the Broncos. Senior Troy Viola is also producing offensively for San Jose State as he has eight hits and four doubles on the year. Sophomore James Shimashita is the other Spartan who has a home run this season which he recorded on in the series finale against Creighton. Redshirt junior Kevin Kyle has been a starter for the Spartans so far this season as he has made two starts while allowing 11 hits and four earned runs. Kyle thus far has a 3.37 ERA, the lowest of the Spartan starters on the team.