By Amy Chastain

Assistant Sports Editor 

A new era of baseball has begun at CSUSM. Gone are the days where the team lacked confidence and staying power. This year’s baseball team is up for the challenge.

Head Coach Dennis Pugh talked about the progress of the team.

“I don’t feel we’re overmatched against anyone,” he said.

On April 14, the baseball team began their pre-game warm-ups in the background. Pugh attributed this increased level of play to the growth of the program, in terms of facilities and players. The players, according to Pugh, are of increasing quality when it comes to being student athletes.

Quality student athletes, like seniors Dylan Costello and Ray Patchen also reflected on the progress of the season.

The team is “more deep offensively” said Infielder Ray Patchen. Outfielder Dylan Costello expanded on this when he said this year’s offense is “better than the last two years.”

Costello spoke highly of the pitching and batting averages of the team.

“Everyone [is] over 300 in the lineup,” Costello said. When Costello speaks of over 300, he refers to an above batting average that every player in the batting lineup has obtained.

Costello was quick to attribute much of the pitching acclaim to former Palomar Comet Emilio Esquibel. Esquibel’s wins-loss record as a starting pitcher is 9-1. The nine consecutive wins when acting as starting pitcher ties the school record set by James Dykstra in 2013.

The baseball team continues to break records in areas other than pitching. The single season record for doubles fell on April 14 versus Biola. CSUSM beat the record of 101 doubles set in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. The newly achieved record is 104.

As the baseball team approaches the home stretch of their season, Head Coach Pugh expects the team to “keep improving” and continue on the trajectory that is setting them up for a run at Nationals.