The Loyola baseball team is preparing to swing into the upcoming 2023 season with several new players on a team that came one win short of making it to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics World Series last year.
Head coach Jeremy Kennedy said this year’s team is different from previous years, and overall has a great mix of youth and experience to help them succeed.

“We have a lot more maturity,” Kennedy said. “We are a closer group. This team has a lot of experience mixed with freshmen who are very mature for freshmen.”Entering his third season with the team, junior outfielder and music industry major Kason Cullins said he has witnessed the loss of graduating seniors twice in his career. This year, however, he said he isn’t worried how the new and returning players will play together on the field.

“All thirty-one of us have common goals with one another and wish to see one another succeed,” Cullins said. “When you mix that in with hard work and talent, you’re putting yourself in a good situation to win.”

In the NAIA pre-season rankings for this season, the team was ranked No. 23 and picked to finish second in the Southern States Athletic Conference. When going into a new season with a ranking this high, Kennedy said he tries not to dwell on it.

“I try not to put expectations on a season,” Kennedy said. “We are trying to stay present for as many pitches as we can.”
Cullins said the team shares this mindset.

“One thing that really makes our team strong is our ability to not look back into the past or forward into the future, but to remain present in the moment,” Cullins said.

The team will be playing a 3-game against Louisiana State University Alexandria at Segnette Field on Feb. 3 at 5 p.m and on Feb. 4 in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Next ,they will face Dillard University in a 2-game series on Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.