With Loyola Marymount’s college baseball season officially underway, incoming fans may find themselves wondering what the stakes are for the season. But don’t worry, we are here to answer any and every question you might have!
First, the basics.
There are currently 300 D1 college baseball teams in the NCAA, divided into 31 conferences. LMU baseball is a part of the West Coast Conference (WCC), which has a total of nine teams. Each team plays about 54 to 56 games in a season, and plays a three game series against each of their conference opponents. LMU specifically plays 24 total conference games, meaning they play a three-game series against the eight other teams within the conference.
What’s the difference between conference and non-conference games?
To put it simply, conference games matter more. For example, the six WCC teams with the best conference records advance to the WCC tournament, a double-elimination tournament that decides the conference champion.
What does the post-season, or playoffs, look like?
The ultimate goal for any team is “to go to Omaha”, the home of the College World Series, and win the championship. To achieve this coveted title, teams first battle it out in their respective conference tournaments to secure a spot in the championship tournament, ultimately yielding 31 teams. The championship tournament consists of 64 teams, and to fill the other 33 teams, the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee gives bids to 33 teams to complete the 64 team roster.
What’s the point of those non-conference games that take up half the season?
Non-conference games are considered by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee to select which teams to give the aforementioned 33 bids. It is important to note that strength of schedule is heavily involved in the selection process. Thus, it is not just about each team’s record, but the difficulty of the teams that they have played.
Where do I watch?
A large number of LMU’s baseball games and other NCAA baseball games are available to watch ESPN+. To watch live and in person, come to Page Stadium for all LMU home games, located behind the LMU gym and Gersten Pavilion. The full schedule can be found here: https://lmulions.com/sports/baseball/schedule/2025
