Another spring, another season for Coach Keith Ramsey ’98; the man at the helm begins his third season at Loyola.

Ramsey is looking to steer the ship in the right direction, as the baseball team has finished with a losing record in four of the last five seasons (though 2020 had a Covid-shortened season). They’ve gotten off to a good start so far, and with a 7-2 record, the Cubs look to build on the positive momentum from two strong wins against Gahr and Cypress High Schools.

Alex Stern ’25, a high-leverage arm last year, went down with Tommy John surgery this winter, which has forced the rest of the pitching staff to eat some of the innings that would have otherwise been filled by Stern. Pitchers Noah Mendez ‘26, Caden Chavez ‘25, Jimmy Levy ‘26, and catcher-turned-pitcher Robbie O’Rourke ‘26 have helped maintain the team’s 1.65 ERA this season.

On the offensive side of the diamond, the team has been slugging, with seven players hitting above .300. Offensive star this season is catcher Luca Marruci ‘26. He has a whopping slash line of .467/.556/.933, leading the team in home runs, RBIs, and extra-base hits.

Heading into this season, Marruci inherited the starting spot behind the dish from Augie Lopez ‘24, who is now playing ball down the street at USC. Marruci sang the praises of Lopez saying, “It was a great experience to be around Augie. He helped me with pre-game preparations and focusing on the little things.”

In the clubhouse, Ramsey looks to build a culture of brotherhood. When asked for the motto for his team, he said, “The team is looking to be a contender for the playoffs this year, something they haven’t done since 2022. They’ll have to make it through the gauntlet that is the Mission League, which is filled with so much talent across the board.”

Regarding the upcoming schedule, Ramsey said, “We’re excited and ready.”

Loyola baseball’s season has just begun, but their hot start bodes well for their playoff hopes. Make sure to support the Cubs throughout the season!