This week
The Sea Lions will head on the road for one of their most unique and important series of the season. Point Loma will take on PacWest-leader California Baptist on Wednesday, Apr. 20 at 7:05 p.m. in Angels Stadium. The series will then shift to Riverside for the final three games. PLNU and CBU will play game 2 on Friday, Apr. 22 at 6:00 p.m., before closing out the series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at Noon.
 
Probable pitching matchups (PLNU vs. CBU)
Game 1: Kellen Sheppard (6-3, 2.45 era) vs. Tyson Miller (6-2, 2.35 ERA)
Game 2: Nathan Bennett (1-0, 0.99 era) vs.  Dylan Stowell (8-0, 1.51 ERA)
Game 3: Trevor Abshire (2-3, 3.80 era) vs. Jeremy McDonald (5-0, 2.12 ERA)
Game 4: Kevin Lillicrop (5-1, 3.23 era) vs. Travis Booth (3-4, 1.76 ERA)
 
Follow along
If you are unable to attend this week's games they will all be available for fans to follow on live stats and live video. Live stats will be free of charge while video stream will vary in price based on the venue. To access both live stats and live video visit plnusealions.com/gameday.
 
Tickets still available for the PacWest Big League Bash
Tickets are still available for the PacWest Big League Bash at Angels Stadium on April 20, but will be sold only at the PLNU tailgate area before the game. Online ticket sales have closed. Tickets are $24 and will include a package with access to the PLNU alumni tailgate party, field level seats for both games of the PacWest Big League Bash and a ticket a Los Angeles Angels vs. Seattle Mariners game (Sept. 12).
 
A look at the Sea Lions
The Point Loma baseball team took three out of four games from Academy of Art last weekend to bring their record to 23-13 on the season and to 12-10 in the PacWest. PLNU is in sixth place in the PacWest standings, seven games behind first-place California Baptist. The Sea Lions will need a strong showing in the series to keep their playoff hopes alive. 
 
Ryan Garcia's 49 runs batted in have him leading the PacWest, and he is nine ahead of second place. In game 3 of the ARTU series, Garcia blasted his fourth grand slam of the season. He's gone yard in four of his six at-bats with the bases loaded. That slam was also his 12th home run of the season. He is second in the PacWest in home runs, fourth in slugging percentage (.659), sixth in total bases and seventh in batting average (.370). Devin Carter is tied for fifth in the PacWest with seven home runs. He is also tied for sixth in runs scored (34) and for third in stolen bases with 10. Mike Gordner is seventh in the league with six home runs.
 
On the pitching side, Point Loma continues to lead NCAA Division II in fewest walks allowed per 9 innings with 1.90. PLNU also ranks sixth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.62), ninth in WHIP (1.20) and 11th in ERA (3.09). Nathan Bennett leads the PLNU starters with a 1.02 ERA. He is just .2 innings from qualifying for the PacWest lead. He is 2-0 on the season and has allowed just 24 hits in 35.1 innings. Kellen Sheppard is ranked among the PacWest leaders with a 2.45 ERA. He is seventh in the PacWest in ERA, tied for fourth in wins (six) and leads the league with just eight walks allowed. Bennett along with Kevin Lillicrop and Trevor Abshire  each led PLNU to a victory last weekend while holding ARTU to just one run in their start. Lillicrop is now 6-1 on the season with a 2.98 ERA and Abshire has a 3.35 ERA. Coleman Huntley III has five saves to lead PLNU and rank third in the PacWest.
 
Bennett named PacWest Pitcher of the Week
Nathan Bennett was been named the PacWest Conference Pitcher of the Week for the week of Apr. 11-17. In just his third start of the season, Bennett earned a win over Academy of Art to snap a three-game losing streak for the Sea Lions. He threw a season-best 8.0 innings allowing one run and two hits, with five strikeouts. The outing raised his ERA to 1.02, and he is .02 innings shy of qualifying for the PacWest lead. The former reliever opened the season with a streak of 23-consecutive scoreless innings.
 
A look at the Lancers
California Baptist is 30-8 this season and leads the PacWest with a 20-4 record. The Lancers had a seven-game winning streak going until it was snapped in their series finale against Concordia (CA). CBU leads the country with a 2.30 earned run average. Dylan Stowell and Travis Booth sit 1-2 in the PacWest in ERA with marks of 1.51 and 1.76, respectively. In fact the top four earned run averages in the PacWest are owned by a CBU pitcher. Offensively, Stephen Lohr leads the PacWest in batting average (.450), runs (45), on-base percentage (.526) and slugging (.725).
 
Next week
PLNU will return home for its second-to-last homestand of the season. The Sea Lions will welcome in Holy Names for a four-game set beginning on Friday, Apr. 29 at Noon.