2021 Schedule
 
LOS ANGELES – The Loyola Marymount University Lions baseball team will open the 2021 season this weekend, with three games against the USC Trojans. The Lions and Trojans will play the first two games at Dedeaux Field on the campus of USC then wrap up the series at Page Stadium for Sunday's finale.
 
The Lions and Trojans series dates back to 1922, with both schools playing each other a total of 163 times. The schools didn't play one another in 2020 but split two games in 2019 with each team winning on the road.
 
The entire three-game series against the Trojans will be streamed live with links to the broadcasts available on the baseball schedule page at lmulions.com.
 
LMU enters the season with a well-balanced roster of veterans and newcomers. Head Coach Nathan Choate, in his second year at the helm, returns 19 players from last season's squad while welcoming 18 new Lions to the bluff for 2021.
 
The collection of 37 players hail from five different states and two countries. Thirty-one are from California, two from Washington, and one from Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and Guatemala City, Guatemala.
 
Choate, the Lions' eighth head coach in program history, returns his staff from last year with Assistant Coach Matt Curtis and Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Tony Asaro while former LMU player Ryan Erickson returns for his fifth season on the staff and second as the Volunteer Assistant Coach.
 
Following the weekend series against the Trojans the Lions will play their next 12 games, all against Pac-12 opponents, with a three-game series versus Utah as the only games slated for Page. LMU then opens West Coast Conference play with a three-game homestand against BYU.
 
The Lions were tabbed to finish fifth this year according to the 2021 WCC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll, while Josh Agnew was named to the 2021 All-WCC Preseason Baseball Team.
 
Agnew, made five appearances last year for the Lions and posted a 2-1 record with an ERA of 5.87 in 23 innings pitched. He turned in one quality start and lasted at least 4 1/3 innings in all of his starts on the year while leading the team in innings pitched and wins. The Long Beach, Calif. native also struck out 17 batters last year while picking up wins against Washington and San Jose State. 
 
In addition to Agnew, utility man Matt Voelker is looking to pick up right where he left off last year. Voelker, the Lions 2020 leader in ERA, appearances, and third in batting average and slugging percentage was the do-it-all player for LMU. While Voelker was solid on the mound and at the plate, Holden Christian established his role in relief with six appearances while pacing LMU in batters striking out looking and tying for the team lead in saves. Additionally, Christian became the first player since Niko Decolatti to record a hit and a strikeout in the same game when he pulled off the feat against UC Davis. 
 
LMU brings to the bluff a pair of players who are already receiving preseason recognition. Infielder Diego Baqueiro was tabbed D1Baseball's Preseason Freshman of the Year in the WCC while junior right-hander Jimmy Galicia was selected as Baseball America's Newcomer of the Year in the WCC. 
 
Baqueiro, a 2020 graduate of Notre Dame High School was a two-time Perfect Game All-Tournament Team selection and the 79thranked player in the state of California. During his abbreviated senior season, he batted .421 and was responsible for eight hits, six runs and five RBIs.  
 
Galicia comes to the bluff from El Camino College where he appeared and started in eight games, posting a 6-1 record with an ERA of 2.68. He pitched 57 innings, had one complete game, and struck out 56 batters for ECC.
 
Fans will not be permitted to attend baseball games at Page Stadium as long as current Los Angeles County and state of California rules are in effect.
 
For more information on LMU baseball, follow the program on Twitter, like the Lions on Facebook, and join them on Instagram by searching for "lmulionsbsb."