LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola Softball begins its 2019 season a bit later than expected, but at least with a pair of home games, as it hosts CSU San Marcos in rare Sunday action at the end of this week.

THIS WEEK: vs. CSU San Marcos (0-0) - Sunday, February 10 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

MULTIMEDIA: Live video and live stats will be provided free of charge for all Biola home contests. See links and cost for road contests in the previews below.

TICKETS: Biola home events are always free to Biola students, staff, faculty and alumni. Children 12 and under are also always free. General admission is $6 and discounted tickets for opposing school students, guests under 18 and seniors are $4. See ticketing information for road contests below each preview below.

BIOLA (0-0) vs. CSU SAN MARCOS (0-0): Sunday Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. (DH) \\ Live Stats \\ Live Video
Biola begins its season with a familiar foe. The Eagles and CSUSM Cougars have met at least once in 10 of the last 12 seasons with 35 total all-time meetings. The Cougars lead the all-time series 19-16, but Biola has won the last five meetings. The Eagles should have the upper hand this weekend, thanks to CSUSM having to play four conference games against a really strong CSU San Bernardino team on Friday and Saturday before coming to La Mirada on Sunday. The Sunday games will be the Eagles' season-opener and the first chance for new Head Coach Nikki Udria to see what her lineup is capable of in advance of a wide open PacWest softball season. Biola outscored CSUSM 9-6 in a pair of March victories last season (2-1; 7-5). Paige Austin won the pitcher's dual in the first game, putting up a complete game with six strikeouts and just one earned run allowed. Haley Martinez and Andi Hormel were the two Eagles to touch the plate in the fifth inning of that game, lifting BU to victory. Paula Damas got the win in the higher scoring second game, throwing six innings in relief and allowing just one earned run to improve to 4-2 on the season. Kayla Neff and Areana Ramos both at multi-RBI games in that win. With all the returning firepower on both offense and in the circle, Biola should be set up well for some success on its new Opening Day.

SECOND TO ONE: Biola Softball was selected to finish second in the recent PacWest Coaches Preseason Poll. It is four spots higher than the Eagles were picked in last year's preseason poll and five spots higher than Biola's actual finish in the conference standings last year. Biola began 2018 with a 10-2 record in PacWest play, garnering the respect of just about everyone and holding on to the top spot in the league for a long time. A tough end of the season sunk the team down to seventh, which will likely not be replicated this season. The Eagles were one of three teams to earn at least one first-place vote in the preseason poll. Concordia Irvine led the poll with seven first-place votes, but the Eagles from Irvine only had seven total points more than BU (89-92). Conference play begins with Biola vs. CUI at Concordia on Feb. 22. That doubleheader will be meetings 96 and 97 all-time between BU and CUI. Concordia has won the last four head-to-head matchups.

EARLY HONORS: Biola had more individual players honored with Preseason All-PacWest honors than any other team in the conference. Four members of Udria's squad made it onto the 13-person team of standouts. Kayla Neff was selected the conference's best catcher. Hailey Boyett was selected the league's best designated player and Areana Ramos and Paige Austin were listed among outfielders and pitchers to make the cut. Ramos was last year's newcomer of the year and could be in contention for player of the year if she repeats or improves her 2018 numbers. Austin was part of a trio of outstanding freshman pitchers to earn all-conference honors last season. One of those three left to a CCAA school, so it's likely Austin will battle CUI's Callie Nunes for the conference pitcher of the year award this season if she's close to or better than her numbers from a year ago. Azusa Pacific had three preseason all-conference winners and CUI had two, making them the only other institutions with multiple winners. Fittingly, those are also the top-3 programs in the preseason poll.

RECORD WATCH: Last season, Areana Ramos hit nine homeruns which was more than double her previous single-season best. It was just two homeruns shy of the program's single-season homerun record held by Lyndsie Roberts (2011). If she gets the big fly working early on this year, look for her to be able to make a push for that mark. Her 15 career homeruns is 11 behind the program record of 26. So, if it happens, her 12th homerun would break both the single-season and career mark. The PacWest had three players with at least 12 homeruns last season. Ramos is also in the top-5 in career slugging percentage. She's had 38 extra-base hits in her career and enters the year with a .549 slugging percentage. The program record is Amerra Kesterson's (.631). Kesterson played for BU from 2004-07. Paige Austin held opponents to just a .196 batting average last season. It's just the third time in program history a pitcher has held batters to a mark under .200. No Biola pitcher has ever had two such seasons. Austin has a chance at being the first to accomplish that this year. Andi Hormel spent a lot of time icing her first two seasons at BU. She was hit by 23 pitches during her freshman and sophomore campaigns. That mark slowed a bit with just three HBP last year. But, if she finds her way on base via plunking at least four times this season, she'd become the third player in program history with 30+ hit-by-pitch bases. Kayla Neff comes into the year just two sacrifice flies shy of the all-time record of nine. She had five SF last year and should be able to pass record-holder Selina Sherlin (9) this year.

UPCOMING MILESTONES:
Hailey Boyett - 150 Games Played (109)
Hailey Boyett - 100 Hits (75)
Hailey Boyett - 300 Putouts (247)
Hailey Boyett - 50 RBI (49)
Andi Hormel - 150 Games Played (146)
Andi Hormel - 100 Hits (96)
Andi Hormel - 300 Assists (261)
Kayla Neff - 100 Hits (84)
Kayla Neff - 500 Putouts (419)
Kayla Neff - 50 RBI (47)
Missy Poti - 300 Putouts (264)
Areana Ramos - 150 Games Played (135)
Areana Ramos - 100 Runs Scored (71)
Areana Ramos - 150 Hits (119)
Areana Ramos - 30 Doubles (21)
Areana Ramos - 20 Homeruns (15)
Areana Ramos - 200 Putouts (148)
Areana Ramos - 30 Outfield Assists (26)

A GOOD MIX: Biola returns a large chunk of its 2018 roster, but also brings in a good amount of new talent with its 2019 newcomers. The Eagles' 19-person roster is made up of 13 returning players and six newcomers. Of those 13 returners, three earned all-conference honors last season and seven started for BIola on a regular basis. Paige Austin returns to lead an expanded Biola pitching staff that includes veterans Paula Damas and Kaile Chavez as well as promising newcomer Jennifer Morinishi. Udria has been impressed by the growth she's seen in Damas this offseason, which gives her plenty of solid options in the circle for 2019. The offense will be in capable hands with Ramos, Kayla Neff and Hailey Boyett leading the way as big bashers. Expect a big senior season from four-year shortstop Andi Hormel and keep an eye on Morinishi and Sicili Brittingham to bring some boppage as freshmen. Selina Sherlin is noticeably missing, but the two newcomers, coupled with growth from Ruth Munoz and Kylie Velasco should fill the gap as best as possible. Missy Poti is also ready to return healthy and make an impact in the corner infield.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Biola has a brand new coaching staff this season as Head Coach Nikki Udria begins her first season at the helm for BU. Along with Udria are assistants Mandy Pongs (pitching) and Justine McLean. Though young, the staff has a wealth of big-time experience as Udria and McLean have NCAA Division I roots (Oregon/Florida) and Pongs has great local experience coming up as a standout at Ayala HS and Mt. San Antonio College. Udria was on the staff last year as an assistant coach under Lorie Coleman, taking over for Janie Takeda who took a job at the University of Oklahoma. Udria played four years at the University of Oregon before graduating in 2017. She led the Ducks to four postseason appearances and three Pac-12 Championships while earning major accolades all four years of her career. In 2017 she was an NFCA NCAA Division I First Team All-American. McLean is from Rancho Cucamonga, but she played her college ball for the Florida Gators the same time Udria was at Oregon. McLean earned All-SEC honors and made the Women's College World Series all-tournament team, while helping the Gators to a 229-36 overall record between 2014-17. The Gators won the Women's College World Series her freshman and sophomore seasons. Pongs was an All-American player while at Mt. SAC in the late-2000s, and she went on to play professionally overseas after finishing up her collegiate career. She was Mt. SAC's spring athlete of the year both years there. In addition to their regular coaching duties, all three regularly host camps/clinics throughout the year. View those at this camp link.

NEXT WEEK: vs. Hope International (2-0) - Tuesday February 12 at 4 p.m. & 6 p.m. (DH)

2019 NCAA DIVISION II CACTUS CLASSIC (Tucson, Ariz.)
vs. Oklahoma Baptist (2-2) - Friday February 15 at 9 a.m. PT
vs. St. Mary's (Texas) (2-3) - Friday February 15 at 11:30 a.m. PT
vs. #21 Colorado Mesa (0-0) - Friday February 15 at 4:30 p.m. PT
vs. Simon Fraser (0-0) - Saturday February 16 at 9 a.m. PT
vs. Saint Martin's (Wash.) (2-1) - Saturday February 16 at 11:30 a.m. PT
vs. Fort Lewis (Colo.) (3-0) - Saturday February 16 at 2 p.m. PT