LA MIRADA --- For the first time since 2019, Biola baseball will handle a full slate of competitions in the 2022 campaign. The season opener for the Biola Boys will be Saturday at Occidental College with an exhibition at 12:00 pm.

Head Coach Jeff Calhoon has his squad ready to go, as he begins his third season at the helm of the baseball program. Through the two shortened seasons, Calhoon boasts a 26-21 overall record, while proving to be a top team in the PacWest. "The blessing of having a full fall is being seen with the development of our student-athletes on a daily basis. Our assistant coaches have done a great job working relentlessly with them and pushing them to be the best version of themselves they can be," commented Calhoon.

The strong reputation of the baseball program and the talented roster has the Eagles as the No. 3 team in the conference according to the PacWest Preseason Poll. The team pulled in 57 points to land amongst the top-three, which were all SoCal squads.

The BU roster is chalk full of fresh faces, while featuring an important core of veterans. 27 players returned from the 2021 squad, while the program lost 14 entering 2022. To balance the scales, Biola brought in 14 newcomers, including a solid combination of transfers and freshmen.

"I really enjoy being around this group," said Calhoon. "They are tough, competitive people who are pursuing excellence on a daily basis." 

The pitching rotation is the most veteran part of the Biola roster. A group of starters, including Andrew Beauvais, Brayden Englert and Gilbert Lopez will be a scary sight for BU's opposition. Following up in the bullpen, BU's closer, Tyler Mead, will anchor the relief group. The Eagles will also look for an impact on the mound from the incoming talent of Caleb Bennett, Tristan Cazel, Nick Merkin, and Andrew Zittel.

In the lineup, Biola will see plenty of new bats. Oscar Serratos is shaping up to be a big part of the BU offense, fresh off a redshirt year in 2021. In the infield, Rylan Greenlee will provide consistency from first base, while Tyler White, Andrew Lujan and Riley Mitchell return to the middle infield. 

The Eagles have a full 49-game season ahead of them with 20 games at Eagles Diamond. A combination of tough non-conference bouts and eight games against APU and PLNU each makes for a tough 2022 slate. Coach Calhoon is excited to battle it out with the top-tier competition, "Every game is important. I believe we have set up one of the more difficult schedules in the region this spring."

Calhoon is grateful for a new season and a new team and the opportunity to pour into his student-athletes, "For us this spring, I am pushing for this group to continue to become the best group we can. We push each other to be great men of faith, men on our campus, and great ball players. I truly love being around this group and enjoy going to the field, weight room, and cages with them. I am very excited for this group to represent Biola this spring."

An exhibition contest will start the Biola Boys' 2022, as the Eagles take on Occidental on the road on Saturday at 12:00 pm.