This is the wrong time of season for the bats of the San Diego State baseball team to go silent. The Aztecs (14-2) need all the offense they can muster because they open their Western Athletic Conference schedule with a three-game series at Fresno State today through Sunday.

“It’ll be tough for us,” Saturday’s probable starter Justin Brunette said. “They’re especially tough up at their place.”

The Bulldogs (10-10, 4-2 WAC) are known for their solid pitching, and this season is no different. SDSU is sure to see three solid starting pitchers in sophomores Jeff Weaver and Adam Pettyjohn and freshman Casey Crowe. All three are near the top of the WAC statistics.

The last thing the Aztecs need to see is great pitching. Over their last two games, they’ve managed just eight runs and five hits.

“We tend to overthink when we go to Fresno,” SDSU designated hitter Steve Hagins said. “We are going to have to battle, and I hope we come out with three good games.”

Hagins has been one of the many Aztecs who have struggled, going hitless against the University of San Diego on Tuesday and Point Loma Nazarene on Wednesday.

“Right now the pitchers are picking us up,” Hagins said. “We just need to stay within ourselves and make adjustments to the pitchers. That is what made us hit before, and that is what we need to get back to.”

The pitchers haven’t needed too much help this season. They’ve been able to hold the opposition in check.

“We are just trying to do our part,” SDSU pitching coach Rusty Filter said. “Our job is to try to keep the games close.”

The likely Aztec pitching rotation for the weekend will be Brian Scott on Friday, Brunette on Saturday and Aaron Harang on Sunday. All three started and went three innings in games earlier this week.

“We held them to three innings to get our rotation set for the weekend,” Filter said, “and that will probably be the rotation for the weekend. But nothing is set in stone. We really want to get these three games.”