Gwynn, Aztecs seek their day in the sun

Tony Gwynn had his day in the sun in Major League Baseball, easily being voted into the Hall of Fame this year.

Now, if only he could enjoy another day in the sun as San Diego State’s baseball coach.

Gwynn is in his fifth year at the helm of the Aztecs. He has yet to lead his team into the NCAA playoffs.

But that’s nothing new around SDSU. The Aztecs, despite being in an ideal city for baseball, have not made the NCAA playoffs since 1991 as they enter the Mountain West Conference Tournament today against the New Mexico Lobos.

Collegiate baseball teams can shine in San Diego. Just look at the University of San Diego Toreros, who are ranked fifth in the nation.

The Toreros will most certainly be in the NCAA Tournament the weekend of June 1 … most likely hosting games at SDSU of all places!

USD baseball looking beautiful

When it comes to college baseball, people often wonder why San Diego can’t have a Top 10 team nationally.

After all, the weather is perfect for year-round baseball, and the talent is certainly in the area.

It hasn’t happened with coach Tony Gwynn at San Diego State, but the honor is being celebrated across town.

Congratulations go out to the University of San Diego Toreros for being ranked No. 9 in the latest Baseball America top-25 poll, and at No. 10 in the latest Collegiate Baseball top-30 poll. This is the second time in history the Toreros have been ranked in the Top 10.

“We look at these things kind of like a beauty pageant,” USD coach Rich Hill said on CSTV.

To top off the honor, the Toreros completed a three-game sweep of Pepperdine for the first time in 22 years Monday with a 7-3 win.

Even with Gwynn (who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer) at SDSU; local high school baseball players continue to flock to USD, where Hill has built the best collegiate baseball team by far in a hotbed of baseball prospects.

The Toreros are setting a standard that can only be envied by SDSU, a school that has not even been invited to the NCAA playoffs in 16 years.