THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran baseball team has officially entered the national spotlight, earning a No. 23 ranking in the latest D3baseball.com Top 25 and climbing to No. 15 in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division III Poll, both released Tuesday.
After beginning the season unranked in the D3baseball.com poll and spending multiple weeks receiving votes, the Kingsmen have surged into the Top 25 behind a red-hot start. Cal Lu has also made a significant leap in the ABCA rankings, jumping from No. 30 in the preseason poll to No. 15.
The Kingsmen have backed up their rise with strong play on the field, posting a 15-4 overall record and opening SCIAC play with a perfect 3-0 mark. With nonconference action now complete, Cal Lutheran turns its full attention to conference competition the rest of the way.
Offensively, the Kingsmen have been powered by
Philip Jeong, who is putting together a standout season at the plate. Jeong leads the team with a .419 batting average and 28 hits, setting the tone for one of the SCIAC's most productive lineups.
Lucas Danielewicz and
Troy Anderson have provided consistent support behind him, batting .389 and .338, respectively. Danielewicz leads the squad with a .593 slugging percentage and eight doubles, while Anderson has driven in a team-high 21 RBIs.
On the mound, this week's SCIAC Pitcher of the Week
Max McGrady has anchored the rotation with a 1.88 ERA across six starts, while also leading the team with 39 strikeouts. Out of the bullpen,
Aidan Buntich and
Colten Hanson have been dominant, with both pitchers yet to allow an earned run through six appearances each.
Cal Lu joins a competitive group of SCIAC programs represented in the national rankings. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps leads the conference presence in both polls, checking in at No. 10 in the D3baseball.com rankings and No. 7 in the ABCA poll, while Pomona-Pitzer is ranked No. 19 and No. 12, respectively. La Verne (No. 26) and Occidental (RV) also appear in the ABCA poll.
The Kingsmen will look to continue their momentum on Friday, March 20 when they host Oxy to begin the next stretch of SCIAC play at George "Sparky" Anderson Field.
