Rebels won’t face Strasburg in MWC tourney first round
San Diego State coach Tony Gwynn said he will hold his ace and not use pitcher Stephen Strasburg against UNLV in today’s Mountain West Conference baseball tournament.
The fifth-seeded Rebels (26-30, 9-15 MWC) face the fourth-seeded Aztecs (37-19, 15-9) at 5 p.m. in Fort Worth, Texas.
San Diego State will start junior right-hander Tyler Lavigne (6-1, 3.62 ERA) against UNLV, which will counter with senior right-hander Corey Hales (3-2, 6.86).
Lavigne, a Centennial High School product who pitched for two years at the College of Southern Nevada, was named second team all-conference Monday.
UNLV seniors Anthony Morel (shortstop) and J.J. Sferra (outfielder) were named first team all-conference.
Strasburg was named Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive time, and Texas Christian’s Jim Schlossnagle earned Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive time.
Strasburg, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the major league draft in June, is 12-0 with a 1.34 ERA in 13 starts. Gwynn is gambling by saving Strasburg for the Aztecs’ game on Wednesday in the double-elimination tournament.
Top-seeded TCU (35-14, 15-5), the tournament’s three-time defending champion, and No. 2 New Mexico received first-round byes. Third-seeded Brigham Young plays No. 6 Utah in today’s first game.
The MWC tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA regionals.