Orange Lutheran's baseball team is returning to the field this week, and the reigning Trinity League and CIF SoCal Regional Division 1 champs are looking to defend their titles and build upon last year's success.
 
After serving in OLu's baseball program as an assistant and co-head coach for the last five seasons, head coach RJ Farrell is in his first year at the helm.
 
"It's been an awesome opportunity," says Farrell. "The ability to have been here and to be part of what Eric (Borba) built…and really understanding what it means to be a Lancer…is something that I'm trying to ingrain and keep in that tradition with our alumni."
 
After fielding a senior-heavy roster last season, this year's varsity team is a younger group but with tremendous talent.
 
Seniors Wyatt Hanoian and Evan Wiley, along with junior Brady Murrietta, are expected to provide leadership for the Lancers and set the tone for the season.
 
Murrietta and Hanoian, along with seniors Noah Haros and Josiah Hartshorn, are expected to be key contributors on the stat sheets.
 
On the pitcher's mound, Farrell is looking to senior Colt Peterson, juniors Blake Killinger and Gary Morse (2024 Trinity League Rookie of the Year) and sophomore Sam Principe to round out the starting rotation. Junior Tristan Ramos will be returning as the Lancers' closer.
 
Farrell and the coaching staff feel this group has plenty of depth and experience and is built for CIF success.
 
"I feel like if we play up to our potential, we should be right there at the end competing for it for sure," says Farrell.
 
In addition to Trinity League opponents, OLu will be participating in the Spring Invitational (March 1, 4) and the Bishop Gorman Invitational (March 17 – 20). Trinity League play begins April 1 with three games against St. John Bosco, and the season kicks off February 21 when the Lancers host Hoover (Alabama) at Hart Park.
 
OLu enters the season ranked No. 3 in the OC Register's Orange County Preseason Top 10 and No. 11 in MaxPreps' national rankings. Though the team is relatively young, Farrell sees tremendous potential in the group and is eager to see how they perform on the diamond.
 
"I'm looking forward to the challenges that I think we're going to face," says Farrell. "I think this is a roster that throughout the season is going to continue to get better and better and better. Hopefully we're peaking at the right time to make that run."