Complete WCC Release

Following a season in which LMU competed for its eighth West Coast Conference Championship, the Lions have been tabbed to finish seventh this year according to the 2019 WCC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll.

In addition to the preseason poll, which is voted on by all 10 of the conference head coaches, the WCC also released the 2019 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team. LMU has one representative on the team, as infielder Nick Sogard earned a spot.

Sogard, a second team All-WCC pick in 2018, hit .324 while appearing in and starting 53 games a year ago. The native of Sacramento, Calif. scored 31 runs and collected a team-high tying 60 hits to go along with 21 RBI, five doubles and two homers. Sogard was vital in WCC play, hitting .323 with 17 runs scored, three doubles, seven RBI and a team-high tying seven stolen bases. The team leader in multi-hit games with 17, he also managed four multi-RBI contests in 2018.

After hoisting the West Coast Conference Tournament Championship last season, Gonzaga was selected by the Conference's ten head coaches to claim the WCC regular season title in 2019. The Zags received five first place votes and 74 overall. Defending regular season champion Pepperdine earned 66 votes to place second. A single vote separated second and third place, as Saint Mary's earned 65 votes and four first place votes for third. San Diego finished fourth among head coaches with 52 votes. San Francisco earned 44 votes to enter 2019 in fifth, while a second close margin in the standings separated the Dons from BYU, who tallied 41 votes and one first place vote for sixth place. LMU enters 2019 seventh in the preseason standings after grabbing 37 votes. Portland (32), Santa Clara (26) and Pacific (13) round out the poll and eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively.

The 2019 season begins on February 15 as the Lions hit the road for an opening weekend series against Big West opponent UC Santa Barbara. LMU's home-opener is scheduled for February 22 when the Lions welcome Saint Louis University to Page Stadium at 6 p.m.

2019 WCC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll

Team (First Place Vote)		Pts.
1. Gonzaga	(5)	74
2. Pepperdine		66
3. Saint Mary's	(4)	65
4. San Diego		52
5. San Francisco		44
6. BYU	(1)	41
7. LMU		37
8. Portland		32
9. Santa Clara		26
10. Pacific		13

 
2019 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team – Position Players

Name	Institution	Yr.	Pos.
James Free II	Pacific	Jr.	C
Brock Hale	BYU	Sr.	OF
Cody Hawken	Portland	Sr.	OF
Riley Helland	San Francisco	Sr.	IF/C
Adam Kerner	San Diego	So.	C
Quincy McAfee	Pepperdine	Jr.	IF
Shane McGuire	San Diego	So.	C/IF
Kevin Milam	Saint Mary's	Jr.	IF/RHP
Nick Sogard	LMU	Jr.	IF
Ernie Yake	Gonzaga	Jr.	IF

 
2019 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team – Pitchers

Name	Institution	Yr.	Pos.
Cooper Chandler	Pepperdine	So.	RHP
Casey Legumina	Gonzaga	Jr.	RHP
Riley Ornido	San Francisco	Jr.	RHP
Jonathan Pendergast	Pepperdine	Sr.	RHP
Ken Waldichuk	Saint Mary's	Jr.	LHP