SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team will begin the 2023 season with a single game at Biola on Friday at 2 p.m. before coming home to face the Eagles in a doubleheader on Saturday at noon as Cougar skipper Jose Garcia makes his collegiate head coaching debut.
 
LAST SEASON

• CSUSM ended 2022 with an overall record of 18-32 and finished ninth in the CCAA standings with a record of 14-26 in conference play.
• Ethan Rivera was named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-West Region second team as a utility player after hitting .338 with 54 hits, 40 RBIs, 27 runs, 11 doubles, 11 walks, three stolen bases, two home runs and an OPS of .809.
• Joining Rivera on the All-CCAA second team was Luke Reece, whose .393 batting average ranked fourth in the CCAA. The returning infielder led the Cougars with 64 hits and 39 runs while tallying 37 RBIs, 12 doubles, 12 walks, three stolen bases, two triples and a .929 OPS.
• Outgoing right-handed pitcher Garrett Apker also earned second-team honors while outgoing infielder Kevin Van Linge was an honorable mention.
• Apker signed a free-agent contract with the Detroit Tigers organization during the summer.
• CSUSM tallied three wins over ranked teams in 2022 – No. 17 Colorado School of Mines, No. 18 Chico State and No. 21 Cal State Monterey Bay. Up until last season, the Cougars had only tallied one win over a ranked team as an NCAA Division II member, beating No. 22 Chico State on April 3, 2016.

 
2023 SQUAD

• CSUSM has 18 returners for the 2023 season, including 2022 All-CCAA second-team recipients Ethan Rivera and Luke Reece.
• The Cougars will have 12 newcomers this season with six freshmen and six transfers.
• CSUSM's pitching staff is made up of 16 in total with 11 right handers and five lefties.
• Athletically, the Cougars are made up of two redshirt juniors, 16 redshirt sophomores, two true sophomores, four redshirt freshmen and six true freshmen.
• CSUSM was picked to finish 11th in the 2023 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• The Cougars' 50-game schedule includes 28 home contests and 22 road games.

SEASON-OPENING SERIES AGAINST BIOLA

• On Friday, CSUSM and Biola will meet for the first time since Feb. 9, 2016.
• The Cougars are 14-13 in the all-time series against the Eagles and are 6-6 at home.
• CSUSM is on a four-game winning streak against the Eagles and has won eight of the last 10.
• The Eagles finished fourth in the 2022 PacWest standings with an 18-14 conference record while finishing 22-27 overall.
• Biola was picked to finish fifth in the 2023 PacWest Preseason Coaches Poll while catcher Taylor Justus was named to the Preseason All-PacWest Team.
• The Eagles have 27 returning players overall including Oscar Serratos, the 2022 PacWest Newcomer of the Year and a first team selection, who hit 14 home runs, hit .338 and had 23 stolen bases.
• Biola has nine players returning with starting experience.

THE GARCIA FILE

• Head Coach Jose Garcia was announced as the new leader of the CSUSM baseball program on Aug. 1, 2022.
• Garcia came to CSUSM from fellow CCAA member Chico State where he was the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Wildcats.
• Joining Chico's staff as a student assistant in Fall 2012, Garcia helped the Wildcats notch 286 victories, seven postseason appearances, two CCAA Championships, one NCAA West Region Championship and one College World Series appearance in 10 years with the program.
• Serving as Chico's primary hitting and infield coach, Garcia coached the Wildcats' offense to a conference-record .344 team batting average while assisting the team to a 34-15 overall record in 2022 despite only returning seven players from the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
• In 2017, Garcia helped Chico to another CCAA record with a win-loss total of 34-4 in conference play while also helping the team to an NCAA Division II-best .983 fielding percentage.
• Garcia is a graduate of Chico State and earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in coaching. He later earned his master's degree in School and Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Positive Coaching from the University of Missouri in 2017.