St. Louis, Mo. -- The No. 9 Washington University in St. Louis baseball team will officially open the 2022 season on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala. as it gets set to take on three nationally-ranked teams.
The Bears have been ranked in the preseason top 10 for the third-consecutive season, and will matchup with No. 7 Birmingham-Southern at 11 a.m. CST and No. 25 Lynchburg at 2:30 p.m. CST on Saturday's opening day.
The trip will conclude on Sunday against No. 15 Trinity at 11 a.m. CST.
In total, WashU will take on seven nationally-ranked opponents in the non-conference slate, but Head Coach Pat Bloom and the Bears are ready for the challenge ahead.
"As always, we want to play really good teams out of conference that will challenge us in all facets of the game – we want to measure ourselves against the best in the country, win or lose," Bloom stated.
"Our opening weekend will really test our competitive depth and toughness, but that's the way we like it. We have told our team that the outcome is important but that we need to come back from this trip having learned and ready to grow. It's a long season and I expect to see a much different team in April than what we show in February."
The Bears enter the season coming off the best record ever recorded in WashU history in 2021 (34-6). In addition, WashU made its first appearance in school history at the DIII College World Series and won its first regional title along the way.
For six weeks throughout the season, the Bears were the No. 1 team in DIII.
Coach Bloom was named the D3baseball.com Central Region Coach of the Year and ABCA/ATEC Central Region Coach of the Year following the record-breaking season.
In July, Caleb Durbin became the first player since 1999 to be drafted, going in the 14th round to the Atlanta Braves. Ryan Loutos also signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent.
Despite losing several key pieces from last year's team, the Bears return a wide range of talent and aim to build off the sustained success from previous seasons.
"It has been my experience that once a program and its players get a taste of competing in the national tournament, it serves not only as a motivator to get back, but it also really sharpens our awareness of the key factors that separate the national champion from those who come up a bit short," said Bloom.
Senior second baseman Tim Van Kirk was chosen to the D3baseball preseason All-America team in January and had an exceptional season in 2021.
Van Kirk led WashU with a .397 batting average and posted team-highs in hits (69) and triples (6). The Arcadia, Calif. native was named an Honorable Mention selection to the D3baseball All-American Team in 2021.
The Bears also return both Bo Anderson and Clayton Miller, who hit over .300 at the plate in 2021 in over 100 total plate appearances.
Anderson finished third on the team in hits (46) and doubles (8) and was second in homeruns (5). Miller had a versatile first-year in the field and on the mound, compiling 37 hits, 10 doubles and 22 RBI, while posting a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 innings with 11 strikeouts.
WashU's pitching depth also includes Kyle Coates, Matt Lopes, and Austin Sachen, Last season, WashU finished the year with the No. 3 ranked team earned run average in DIII (2.31).
Coates recorded a 2.42 ERA in 16 total appearances in 26 innings pitched, while Sachen added 34 strikeouts in eight appearances.
Lopes holds a career 2.14 ERA and recovered from an injury last season but notched a 2.19 ERA in 24.2 innings pitched with a 3-0 record and four saves in 2019.
The Bears' senior class includes Anderson, Matt Bauer, Andrew Huang, Jiajie Li, Lopes, Sachen, Zac Styka, and Van Kirk.
Anderson, Styka, and Van Kirk will also serve as Team Captains for the 2022 year.
"We have some great leaders in the senior class who have worked hard to help mentor and teach our younger guys about the standards and expectations within our program," said Bloom. "The talent level within this team is still very high – but you cannot easily replace what we lost in terms of experience, skill, and knowledge of how to play the game at a high level."
While the Bears return several starters, Bloom spoke on his excitement for the players who have been waiting for their moment to make an impact.
"If the past is any indication, I would expect our returning starters and guys who had a chance to perform on the big stage to be impactful. In addition, I am also excited for the guys who have been working hard in the program and waiting for their chance to prove themselves. Everyone has been pushing one another hard since the Fall, which has given our coaches a lot to think about. There will be some tough decisions, but we like to play a lot of guys and see how they fare when the lights are on."
WashU has won three UAA Championships under Bloom's tutelage, including the 2019 title, which marks the last time the Bears competed in UAA play.
The Bears are the only team in the University Athletic Association ranked in the preseason national poll, but the conference is still expected to be a tough grind from top to bottom.
"It is hard to believe, but our senior class was in their first year the last time we played UAA competition," stated Bloom. "We know that our league is solid throughout and we expect every series to be highly competitive. Our guys – both seniors and non-seniors alike – are excited to experience the national element of being in a conference such as the UAA, and I am confident that it will enhance their experience as well as improve our ballclub."
WashU will seek its third 30-win season in the past four years this year and on Feb. 26-27 will take on Buena Vista for their home-opening series.
Even with a new-look team, Bloom discussed how the expectations have not changed.
"I really like coaching this team. It is not only a talented group, but they are also very competitive and committed to getting the most out of their experience in our program. We are a new team with a new identity, but the guys understand that the standards haven't changed. I am looking forward to seeing what this group can accomplish together."
