Mike Roe realizes expecting perfection in a sport marked by failure probably isn’t realistic.

But the Cal Lutheran senior baseball pitcher and his teammates don’t want to settle for less than their best.

The Kingsmen (10-1, 5-1 SCIAC) suffered their first loss of the season last weekend against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

But Roe likes how his team responded. CLU beat Claremont in the series finale, and has started practice well this week.

CLU faces another big test on Friday with a home-and-home series against No. 11 Chapman. It’s two of four games in four days for the Kingsmen.

“We know we have to come out focused for every game and not take any team lightly,” Roe said. “I don’t know if we came out as prepared as we could have in the loss and didn’t really take all the necessary steps to win.”

CLU senior outfielder Nick Pinneri views Chapman as a good barometer for the Kingsmen.

“Last year, they swept us in three games and we were ahead in at least two of those,” Pinneri said. “If we can beat them, it will show what kind of character we have.”

Pinneri, a Royal High graduate, was lauded for his defensive work last year. But the outfielder has worked to improve his offense.

He’s batting a team-leading .593 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and nine RBIs.

He hit for the cycle earlier this season, and his triple to complete the feat brought back memories of breaking his nose in high school.

“I dove so hard my helmet smacked my nose and I thought I broke it again,” Pinneri said. “It had a big scratch and was deformed, but it didn’t break this time. It was just a little smashed.”

CLU’s starting pitchers haven’t suffered a loss this season. They are 9-0 with an ERA of 2.97.

“We are really deep this year. It’s one of the best teams I have been on as far as talent and the number of arms,” Roe said. “So many guys can pitch it is crazy.”

Roe, a Simi Valley High graduate, is coming off Tommy John surgery and is pitching for the first time in nearly two years. During his first start, he gave up only one earned run in five innings.

“I felt really good,” Roe said. “It was a huge rush and I was a little nervous at the beginning, but once I was out there it pretty much felt the same as it always did.”

If there is one thing Pinneri and Roe have learned about CLU’s team, it’s that the Kingsmen don’t need a class in chemistry.

“The guys just get along really well. A couple of them played Little League together and even competed against each other in high school and junior college,” Pinneri said. “So there is background there with this team and I think those past friendships have carried over and that has helped.”