Loyola Baseball Team Prepares for Cal State Long Beach

The Loyola Marymount baseball team, struggling with a 2-7 start, will try to rebound in a nonconference game against visiting Cal State Long Beach at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Long Beach was 2-2 entering a three-game series against Florida this weekend in Gainesville. The 49ers defeated the Lions, 15-1, on Feb. 3.

Tuesday’s game will match Loyola against former Coach Dave Snow. Under Snow, Loyola earned a berth in the 1986 College World Series.

It will also be a reunion for Loyola Marymount Coach Jody Robinson, who played at Cal State Fullerton in 1975-76 while Snow was an assistant at the school. Snow was still on the Fullerton staff when Robinson served as a graduate assistant the following year.

In three seasons at Long Beach, Snow has coached the 49ers to two berths in the College Series. The 49ers were ranked sixth in two preseason polls.

Long Beach is led by two preseason All-America selections, Chris Gomez at shortstop and Jason Giambi at third base. Gomez is a transfer from Loyola.

Loyola, which lost to Cal State Fullerton, 13-2, on Friday, has been led by sophomore outfielder Chad Nichols, who is batting .350. He also has a 1.13 earned-run average in eight innings as a relief pitcher.

Junior first baseman Darren Sugiyama is batting .321 and freshman outfielder Mike Seal is at .286, including a team-leading five runs batted in.

After the game against Long Beach, the Lions are idle until Feb. 25 when they play host to UC Irvine.