Baseball Schedule Released

MALIBU, Calif. – After having its 2020 season cut short, the Pepperdine baseball team has a schedule for the 2021 season, head coach Rick Hirtensteiner announced on Wednesday. The Waves will play a total of 47 games this year, with 29 away games and 18 games at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

The Waves will play four non-conference weekend series this year in the lead up to West Coast Conference play.

"I think that weekends are the most important games as always prior to conference," said Hirtensteiner. "You need to be able to build up your starters as you get into conference play. This year is obviously a bit different. Most of our weekend games are local, and it ends up being a pretty tough schedule which is nice. In the current circumstances, it makes a lot of sense to stay local and not travel."

Pepperdine will open its season against California Baptist, playing in Riverside on February 19 and 21, along with the Waves' home opener on February 20. Another home and away series against UC Santa Barbara begins on February 26 in Malibu, before a double header in Santa Barbara on February 27 and another home game on February 28.

The Waves take on UCLA and USC on March 5 and 6, respectively, and play Cal State Fullerton on March 7 in Fullerton.

"Those are the teams you want to play," said Hirtensteiner of UCLA, USC and Cal State Fullerton. "Every year, our goal is to get to Omaha, and to do that, you need to play Omaha-type teams to see where you stand. UCLA especially is quite good again this year and it will be a good test for us to see where we are at to see where we need to improve."

In the final series before conference play begins, the Waves will head up North to play UC Davis on March 12 and a double header on March 13.

The Waves begin conference play on the road at San Francisco on March 19. Their first home WCC series begins on March 26 against Saint Mary's. The rest of the Conference schedule is as follows: at San Diego (April 1-3), at Pacific (April 9-11), vs. Gonzaga (April 16-18 vs. LMU (April 23-25), at Portland (May 7-9), vs. Santa Clara (May 14-16), at BYU (May 20-22).

"I think every team across the nation is going to be a bit deeper with the impact on rosters, and larger rosters," said Hirtensteiner of the landscape of college baseball in 2021. "So, I think that college baseball as a whole is going to be quite good this year. We in particular were quite offensive last year, and we had a lot of those pieces back. It doesn't mean its automatically going to happen again, but it is a good starting point. I think we're balanced as well. Our defense is really strong – our outfielders can really run, our infielders are experienced and incredibly strong, and our pitching staff is deeper than it has been in regard to guys coming out of the bullpen than it has been in the past. I assume everyone else is in the same boat. Every team we play should be deeper and older up and down the roster."

The Waves lose just one player from last year's squad, who ended the shortened season ranked as high as #14 in the nation – RHP Wil Jensen, who signed with the San Francisco Giants as an undrafted free agent last year. Fellow righty Cooper Chandler looks to step into his spot as Friday starter in 2021.

"I think that any time you lose someone like Wil Jensen, it has an impact," said Hirtensteiner. "He was our Friday guy and gave us a chance to win every game, as well as pitched deep into games. But that kind of happens every year. If your program is in the right spot, you are going to be losing quality people at many positions, so hopefully you recruited and developed your guys along the way to make them ready to fill those roles. Cooper Chandler is more than ready to be a Friday starter. His stuff is absolutely good enough. He's tough, he's competitive and I am looking forward to watching him pitch on Fridays."

Pepperdine returns 31 players from last year and brings in 12 freshmen. The Waves bring back all of their top-5 offensive threats, senor infielder Aharon Modlin, senior utility Billy Cook, senior outfielder Reese Alexiades, senior infielder Justin Lutes and junior infielder Wyatt Young, as well as three of four of last year's starting pitchers. Chandler, junior RHP Gunnar Groen and junior RHP Trevor Kinskern.

"There are definitely innings to be pitched and at bats to be had for the young guys," Hirtensteiner said. "It is super competitive right now. We have a number of freshmen that are doing quite well, along with some returners that are vying for those spots. It is going to be really competitive to get into the lineup this year, and it is making our practices high-energy, and the guys know what is at stake. This is a really good team, and a team that I believe can get to Omaha."

Players Mentioned

Reese Alexiades

Cooper Chandler

Billy Cook

Gunnar Groen

Wil Jensen

Justin Lutes

Aharon Modlin

Wyatt Young

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