LA MIRADA, Calif. --- After watching several Biola teams navigate the challenges of the PacWest in the fall and winter season, Biola Baseball has a good idea of what lies ahead. The Eagles will have to adjust to four-game series every weekend after playing three-game sets in the GSAC for the past five years. And a eight-day road trip to Hawai'i to kick off the conference schedule will force the Eagles to hit the ground running in PacWest play.

But the Eagles have developed a team culture that embraces challenges and are optimistic about what they can accomplish. Just last year the Eagles brushed off a number of ranked teams in the GSAC to finish with a 19-11 record in conference after starting 0-5. Biola's record of 35-18 was the best mark since 2011 for the baseball program, so Biola is going to do everything to it can to meet the demands its schedule places on it this year to build on its recent success.

"We're excited about what our pitching staff looks like and about the pieces all around it," said Sullenger. "We feel like we have some good depth to move guys in and out to keep guys fresh and play at a high level. We're excited about the challenge [of the new conference], whether it's an opponent or the structures of how the games will be played. We feel like we're ready to play this game well."

The Eagles return a solid collection of table setters and pitchers that were keys to their success last season. Joey Magro, Ricky Perez and Phil Knapp all figure to get aboard and then wreak havoc on the basepaths after they combined for 32 stolen bases last season.

Magro, in particular, was a do-everything hitter for the Eagles in 2017, collecting a team high 64 hits in 53 games while earning five more free passes than he had strikeouts. Perez raised his batting average by almost .100 points after regaining his job as leadoff hitter with three weeks left in the season. And Knapp figures to get more chances to pad his offensive numbers as the starting centerfielder after being a fourth outfielder in 2017.

Where Biola would welcome some additional help is in the power hitting department. Several underclassman will look to earn a regular spot in the starting lineup by joining Jerron Largusa and Colton Worthington as obvious threats to leave the yard and the coaching staff is more than happy to give them that chance.

"We really feel good about our recruiting class and a good group of young freshmen coming in," said Sullenger. "But we also have a few junior college guys sprinkled in who we feel are gonna step right in to an experienced group of players who have had a lot of success over the last two years."

Those junior college transfers figure to have a big impact on the rubber. Pitchers like Troy Stainbrook, DJ Sturious, Josh Ludeman and others are already expected to fill the shoes of 2017 graduates, Jimmy Gallarda, Buddy Brouwer and Gabe Ihrig as BU transitions to four-game series.

Biola will play 10 four-game series during its PacWest schedule in addition to 11 non-conference contests. Twenty-eight of those games will be played at Eagles' Diamond, where Biola will face bitter rival Azusa Pacific five times. Fittingly, the Eagles will open and close their season with the Cougars, facing them in a non-PacWest contest on Wednesday Feb. 7 and in the final conference series from April 26-28.

The winner of the five-game season series will earn their institution 10 points in the Cornerstone Cup between Biola and APU.  You can read more information about the cup here.