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LINCOLN, CA – It was a wild, back-and-forth game between the Healdsburg Prune Packers and the San Luis Obispo Blues on Wednesday afternoon, that ultimately ended in favor of the fifth-seeded Blues. They smashed four homers en route to a 12-7 victory in their second game of the day.
Coming off of a 11-2 victory over the Conejo Oaks just hours before, the Blues bats picked up right where they left off. Catcher AJ Esperanza (Cuesta College) started the homer parade, launching a 3-1 pitch from Tyler Staisiowski (Santa Rosa Junior College) into the trees in right field to give the Blues the early 1-0 lead.
“It’s just about energy, and the guys you have in the dugout,” said designated hitter Vince Martinez (Stanford). “There wasn’t a single point in the game where we didn’t have energy, either our last game or this game. Just continue to want to compete. That was the theme of the day, everyone just kept saying ‘compete’ and that’s what we did.”
San Luis Obispo starter Evan Larson (Concordia University) cruised through the first two innings, working around two hits on 23 pitches. He was even more dominant in the third, striking out the first two batters and getting the third to ground out to first.
Carrying the momentum from Larson, the Blues got a rally going in the top of the fourth. With runners on first and second, Martinez lined a single into right-center field, scoring Mason Grotto (Fresno State) and moving Esperanza to third. With Thomas Trinca (George Mason) looking to break it open, Healdsburg’s Ryan Targac (Texas A&M) made a slick glove flip to second that Ian McMillian (Houston) fired to first for an inning ending double-play.
Defense led to offense for the Prune Packers, as they responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third, third baseman Braydon Runion (Texas Tech) grounded a base hit up the middle that scored both runners, tying this one up at two runs apiece.
The Prune Packers kept it going in the fifth, knocking out Larson and scoring three runs to take a 5-2 lead. Targac, Torin Montgomery (Missouri) and Runion all contributed RBI singles, but reliever Ryan Ward (UT San Antonio) struck out Jesse Lopez (Long Beach State) to end the threat.
Healdsburg’s Derek Bridges (Texas Tech) pitched well in relief of Stasiowski, working 1.2 innings, but walked two to start the sixth and was pulled for Finnegan Wall (UC Irvine). Martinez greeted him with a deep drive to right that bounced over the wall for an RBI double, and Trinca knocked in Esperanza with a grounder to shortstop, making it 5-4.
After Ward tossed a scoreless bottom of the sixth, the Blues offense got back to work. With the bases loaded and one out, TJ Clarkson hit a hard grounder to first that Montgomery bobbled, allowing Ryan Cermak (Illinois State) to tie the game at five.
Montgomery was able to get Clarkson at first, bringing up the red-hot Martinez with two on and two out. He jumped on a fastball and hit it over the fence in left field for a go-ahead, three-run homer, giving the Blues an 8-5 lead.
“I just tried to be on time to a heater,” Martinez said. “I got lucky, he threw it up into my wheelhouse and I caught it out in front.”
Ward continued to put up zeros, blanking the Prune Packers in the seventh and eighth innings. He finished 4.1 innings in relief, allowing three runs and striking out four to keep Healdsburg’s offense quiet.
The Blues added insurance late in the game. They got one run in the eighth on an RBI single by Clarkson, and three more in the ninth on a solo shot by Austin Kretzschmar (Stanford) and a two-run moonshot by Cermak, blowing this game open and making it 12-5 in favor of the Blues.
Healdsburg made it interesting in the ninth, scoring twice and threatening for more, but Zac McCleve (Utah) shut the door, getting Cole Elvis (Cal) to pop out to right field to end it.
With the win, San Luis Obispo will move on to the semifinals of the CCL State Championship, to be played tomorrow night at 7 pm PST. They will face the winner of tonight’s match-up between the second-seeded Arroyo Seco Saints and the third-seeded Lincoln Potters.
Player of the Game: Vince Martinez (SLO)
3-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBIs
Contributors:
LINCOLN, CA – Balls were flying in the opening game of the 2021 California Collegiate League (CCL) State Championship. With six home runs between both sides, it was slugfest between the No. 5 Conejo Oaks and No. 4 San Luis Obispo Blues. The Blues were ultimately victorious, 11-2.
SLO starter Matt Sox (Utah) pitched a complete game, striking out 11 and allowing just three hits and two walks in the win. Three players hit two home runs each; SLO’s center fielder Ryan Cermak (Illinois State) and first baseman TJ Clarkson (Utah), plus Conejo’s first baseman Brendan Bobo (Cal State Fullerton).
“Some people get big and want to hit home runs, and that can’t be your approach. You just have to work on getting on top of the ball and driving it hard,” Cermak said, who reached safely in all five plate appearances.
Sox was locked in immediately. He struck out the first two Conejo batters to open the game and retired the third for quick first inning of work.
In the bottom of the frame, Cermak led off with a single to center, but Conejo starter Cody Adcock (Mississippi) dialed in and picked up three outs in a row.
Sox kept dealing in the second inning; the righty retired all three batters. Sox’s first four strikeouts of the game were looking, displaying his excellent command of the strike zone.
“I was really good, and [Blues catcher Austin Schell] was working really hard for me,” Sox said about finding the strike zone. “It’s just about getting ahead and executing what he called.”
The Blues got on the board first, thanks to a solo home run by Clarkson to lead off the bottom frame. Despite walking the next batter, Adcock pitched his way out of more damage.
Blues left fielder Nick Costello made the first highlight defensive play of the championship slate in the top of the third, tracking a TJ Foreman (Austin Peay State) shot all the way to the wall and making a tough grab to prevent an extra base hit.
The Blues got another leadoff home run in the third, this time by Cermak for his second hit of the game. Shortstop Ruben Mercado (San Jose State) followed up with a triple to center field, and was brought home on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Mason Grotto (Fresno State) to make the score 3-0.
The Oaks responded in the top of the fourth, as Bobo sent a solo shot of his own to cut the deficit to two, but Cermak brought the lead back up in the fifth with his second home run of the day. Bobo saw Cermak raise and decided to call; he hit his second bomb of the day, making the score 4-2 in the top of the sixth.
SLO broke things open in the bottom half. Second baseman Austin Kretzschmar (Stanford) responded with an RBI single to score Clarkson and bring the lead back up to three. Cermak was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Mercado delivered with a single to left that scored two; a throwing error allowed Cermak to get home and make the lead 8-2.
To add insult to injury, Clarkson smacked his second home run in the bottom of the seventh, this time a two-run shot to get the Blues to double-digits.
A Grotto RBI single to left made it 11-2 in eighth, and Sox took care of business to secure his complete game win, ending the game with his 11th strikeout of the afternoon.
The Blues move on to face the No. 1 seed Healdsburg Prune Packers at 2:30 pm PST at McBean Stadium.
“We’re gonna go out, eat a little bit, maybe just chill in the bus and the AC, and recoup and just get after it,” Cermak said.
Players of the Game: SP Matt Sox (Utah) & CF Ryan Cermak (Illinois State)
Sox: W, 9.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K
Cermak: 3-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R, IBB
Contributors:
The final week of the regular season has come to a close, and we are now set for the playoffs. Five teams will head north to Lincoln, Calif. to compete in a double elimination tournament from August 4-6. Healdsburg, Arroyo Seco, Lincoln, San Luis Obispo, and Conejo will have a chance to win a championship next week. Here is the last CCL week review (July 26-August 1) for all 10 clubs.
CCL North Division
(Team, league record, week record)
Healdsburg Prune Packers: 26-4 overall, 7-0 Week 7
The Prune Packers had a sensational closing out of their summer season, winning all seven of their final games, adding to their 11-game winning streak. They finished 26-4 in league play, to go along with a 42-5 overall record and the top overall seed in the playoffs.
Kimble Schuessler (Texas A&M) had a phenomenal week, earning nine hits and five RBI in 18 at-bats. Schuessler had an exceptional game in the Prune Packers 18-2 win over the Mudcats on Tuesday, where the sophomore went 4-5, tallying two RBI, a double and scored three runs.
Torin Montgomery (Missouri) added to the Prune Packers’ excellence by racking up two homers and 10 RBI on the week, while scoring seven times. Montgomery popped off during the Prune Packers’ doubleheader against the Mudcats on Saturday, earning six RBI between both games, five of which came in game one.
Derek Bridges (Texas Tech) commanded the mound throughout his three games played. Bridges pitched a total of 4.2 innings this week where he allowed zero earned runs and struck out eight batters, adding to his 1.80 overall ERA.
The Prune Packers clinched a spot in the CCL tournament, but still have one more non-conference regular-season game on to play on Monday before they head north to Lincoln to compete in the playoffs. They will play the winner of the Oaks and Blues game at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
— Andi Basista
Lincoln Potters: 16-13 overall, 2-4 Week 7
The Lincoln Potters closed out their final week of CCL play with two wins; a 20-4 win against the Solano Mudcats, and a 6-4 victory against the Walnut Creek Crawdads. The Crawdads would seek their revenge, as they beat them twice this week, with the Potters losing by one run in both games. The Healdsburg Prune Packers also defeated them both contests, with a 9-4 and 11-2 win.
Trace Willhoite (Lipscomb) had an outstanding performance at the plate in their 20-4 win against the Mudcats. The infielder went a perfect 5-for-5, smashing three home runs and nine RBIs. Chase Stanke (Minnesota) was the most consistent batter for the Potters this week, going a combined 6-for-9 against the Crawdads and Packers. He also crushed a home run in their 2-1 loss against the Crawdads.
Starting pitcher Jack Horn (George Washington) held his own on the mound this week. The left-hander went a solid five innings, as he struck out four batters and only allowed three hits in the win. Cameron Saso (Abilene Christian) kept the Potters in the game against the Crawdads, striking out three batters in three innings, giving up just one hit in their 2-1 loss.
The Potters have clinched a spot in the CCL Playoffs in their own backyard in Lincoln. They square-off against the Arroyo Seco Saints on Thursday, August 4 at 7 p.m.
— Gianna Cefalu
Walnut Creek Crawdads: 12-18 overall, 4-2 Week 7
The Crawdads finished their week strong, winning four of six to wrap up the season.
This week featured a couple star two-way performances. Infielder Trevor Werner (Texas A&M) finished the week batting 7-for-20 (.350) with one home run, two RBI and six runs scored.
Werner also made a relief appearance on July 27 in the team’s 5-4 win over Lincoln. Werner pitched 2.0 innings, allowing just two hits, one earned run and no walks while striking out six of eight batters faced and earning the win decision.
Pitcher Nathan Peng (UC Davis) had quite the week as well. Peng pitched 2.0 innings in the team’s 2-1 win over Lincoln on July 30, allowing one hit, no runs and striking out two batters. Peng also took a game at first base on July 28, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBI and two runs scored in a 5-4 win over Solano.
Pitcher Chris Gilmartin (UC San Diego) had a great week as well, but this time only on the bump. He won his start on July 28, pitching 5.0 innings and allowing one earned run and three hits while striking out eight.
The Crawdads finish the season 22-23 overall and 12-18 in conference.
— Joe Pohoryles
Solano Mudcats: 6-24 overall, 0-6 Week 7
Justin Banks (St. Mary’s College) hit three home runs this week, knocking in seven RBI and slashing .333/.476/.762 in a standout performance.
Meanwhile, outfielder Kenny DeCelle (Santa Clara) went 6-for-22 (.273) with one RBI and three runs scored to round out a terrific season. DeCelle finishes the year batting .315 with an OPS of .740 with two home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in conference, which nearly all rank within the top three of the team in each category (OPS is fifth).
On the mound, Nikolas Dodson (Waldorf) pitched 9.0 innings across four appearances. Dodson was lights out across his first two appearances, allowing just one earned run, walking one and striking out six through 4.1 innings.
The Mudcats finish the season 8-30 overall and 6-24 in conference.
— Joe Pohoryles
CCL South Division
Santa Barbara Foresters: 23-7 overall, 6-0 Week 7
The Foresters kept on rolling through CCL league play this week, as they swept another week and finished the season on a 16-game winning streak. Santa Barbara is flaming hot heading into the postseason.
Nate Rombach (Texas Tech) went 9-for-22 with four RBIs, scoring seven runs in the process. Jared Thomas (Abilene Christian) provided lit up in the four games he played, going 4-for-9 including a 3-for-3 performance in their 6-5 win over the Oaks on Thursday.
Justin Eckhardt (Texas) was dominant in his start against the Barons, going six innings and giving up just three hits and one unearned run. He struck out five batters and lowered his season ERA down to 1.22.
The Foresters will take their momentum from their 16-game winning streak to Wichita, as they try to defend their 2020 NBC World Series Championship.
— Emily Morton
Arroyo Seco Saints: 17-13 overall, 2-4 Week 7
After starting the week with two losses, the Saints came away with a walk-off victory against the Barons on Thursday night, locking them into a playoff spot. They knocked off the Riptide the next night, before dropping one to the red-hot Foresters and one to the Oaks in the regular season finale.
Brandon Bohning (Cal State Northridge) has really turned it on lately, hitting .348 on the week with four doubles and scoring four runs. Newcomer Tommy Castillo (Long Beach State) has fit perfectly into the Saints lineup, hitting .346 on the week with three doubles. He was thrown into the lead off spot and has scored five runs since the jump in the line up.
Tommy Steier (Creighton) had the Saints best start of the season in the win against the Barons on Thursday, throwing seven innings while giving up only one earned run. His slider had the Barons hitters whiffing all evening, as he struck out 12 batters.
The Saints will head into the playoffs as the second overall seed behind the Prune Packers. They will match-up with the third seeded Lincoln Potters at 7 p.m. PST on Wednesday, August 4.
— Lucas Banks
San Luis Obispo Blues: 15-15 overall, 2-3 Week 7
The Blues finished their season with two losses to the Barons, but were able to come up with two wins on the week, giving them the fourth seed in the playoffs.
Ryan Cermak (Illinois State) led the team in hits this week, going 6-for-17 with two doubles and two RBIs. Ruben Mercado (San Jose State) and AJ Esperanza (Cuesta College) had three hits each in the three games they played, propelling the Blues offense and closing out their seasons on a high note.
Evan Larson (Concordia) had a strong last start of his regular season, pitching four shutout innings with five strikeouts, helping the Blues knock off the Oaks on Friday night.
The Blues will face the fifth seeded Conejo Oaks on Wednesday at 10am in their first game of these CCL playoffs, with the winner playing at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday against the Prune Packers.
— Emily Morton
Conejo Oaks: 14-16 overall, 3-3 Week 7
The Conejo Oaks finished their regular season on a strong note, winning their last two games and clinching the last spot in the playoffs in the process. They came away with a huge 13-7 win against Orange County on Saturday, and followed it with a 14-3 win against the Saints to earn a fifth seed in the State Championship.
Brendan Bobo (Cal State Fullerton) helped push his team to the playoffs with consistent play in the final games before the postseason. Bobo had six hits throughout the week, three of which flew over the fence. The freshman gave the Oaks their best shot at winning in their 6-5 loss to the Foresters, where he scored two runs on three hits, hit two homers and recorded three RBI.
TJ Foreman (Austin Peay) kept the energy for the Oaks, going 7-for-13 with three doubles and one triple in his final week. The senior went 3-for-3 in the Oaks’ big win over the Saints, where he also scored two runs and recorded a double on the afternoon.
Tobias Plotkin (Glendale CC) pitched a solid game against the Saints on Saturday, tallying five strikeouts in 2.2 innings and only allowing one earned run.
The Oaks have clinched a spot in the CCL tournament and will travel to Lincoln this week to face the fourth seeded San Luis Obispo Blues at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 4.
— Andi Basista
Orange County Riptide: 13-17 overall, 1-4 Week 7
The Riptide started off the last week of play on a good note, defeating the San Luis Obispo Blues 3-2, but would then go on a four game losing streak. Due to their late season slump, they barely missed the CCL playoffs by one game.
Against the Conejo Oaks, Gavin Haimovitz (Santa Barbara) had himself a night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Terrence Simmons (Connecticut) had a solid performance the last two games against the Oaks and Foresters, going a combined 4-for-9 with three RBIs.
Pitcher Spencer Edwards (Cornell U) dominated on the mound, with eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings against the Foresters, allowing just two hits and one run to come across the board. Matthew Magre (Arkansas Fayetteville) went four innings against the Saints, striking out four and giving up just three hits.
The Riptide’s playoff fate was left up to the Arroyo Seco Saints, as they needed to defeat the Conejo Oaks in order for the Riptide to sneak in. The Saints lost 14-3, putting the Conejo Oaks in the last playoff spot.
— Gianna Cefalu
Academy Barons: 8-22 overall, 3-3 Week 7
The Barons had one of their best weeks all season, grabbing three key wins and coming close to beating the Saints on Thursday. They beat the Oaks to start the week, and swept the Blues in San Luis Obispo this weekend to finish their season on a high note.
Jordan Williams (San Jacinto College North) was electric this week for the Barons, going 9-for-22 with five RBIs. He came up huge in the Barons win on Sunday, collecting five hits and two RBIs while scoring twice as well. Christian Webb (Seminole State College) was key in the Barons win over the Blues on Saturday night, going 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, his first one of the summer.
.– Lucas Banks
Things are heating up in the CCL, and with only one more week left in the regular season, it’s now or never for the teams fighting for playoff spots. As it stands now, the Prune Packers, Potters, Saints, Blues, and Riptide would be the five representatives to compete in Lincoln next week for the championship. The race is tight in the South, as the Oaks are only a half-game back of the Riptide for the fifth playoff spot. A lot is on the line in the final week. Here is the CCL week six (July 19-25) review for all 10 clubs.
CCL North Division
(Team, league record, week record)
Healdsburg Prune Packers: 20-4 overall, 5-1 Week 6
The Prune Packers continued to make impactful strides this past week as they won four of their five league games, adding to their winning record. The Prune Packers had a particularly sensational game against the Mudcats on Tuesday where they defeated Solano 16-0. They finished the week with a non-league win over the West Coast Kings.
Jared Sundstrom (Santa Rosa JC) had a phenomenal week, going 9-for-25 (.360) with six RBI throughout the six games. Sundstrom now sits with a .429 batting average for the season. Torin Montgomery (Missouri) kept the Prune Packers offense strong, hitting .542 on the week with three doubles, two home runs and ten RBI.
Marvcus Guarin (Pacific) pitched a solid 3.0 innings with seven strikeouts on 13 batters faced. Guarin’s ERA now sits at a 1.22 thus far.
The Prune Packers will head into the final games of their summer season with a couple of non-conference games as well as match-ups with the Mudcats, Potters and Crawdads.
— Andi Basista
Lincoln Potters: 14-10 overall, 5-1 Week 6
The Potters dropped the first game of the week to the Walnut Creek Crawdads, but bounced back and swept the rest of the week. They won an offensive heavy 13-11 game against the Prune Packers, followed by a series sweep against the non-conference Seattle Studs.
Jeffrey David (New Mexico) had an outstanding week at the plate, with a .519 batting average. David went 14-for-27, with five doubles, one homer and eight RBI, scoring nine runs. Chase Stanke (Minnesota) had a solid series against the Seattle Studs, going 3-6 in the box with two runs, a double, and five RBI.
Jojo Villarreal (Alvin CC) fooled hitters all week, as he had a combined 11 strikeouts in 5.1 innings, and only gave up two hits. Owen Cuffe (Abiliene Christian) struck out eight batters in four innings against the Seattle Studs.
The Potters have a full slate of CCL games going into their last stretch of the season. They’re currently six games back of the Healdsburg Prune Packers, and are hoping to make a playoff run at their home turf in Lincoln, CA.
— Gianna Cefalu
Walnut Creek Crawdads: 8-16 overall, 3-2 Week 6
The Walnut Creek Crawdads had an up-and-down week, alternating wins and losses to finish with a 3-2 record. A pair of Columbia Lions led the ‘Dads offense this week.
Outfielder Hayden Schott (Columbia) is riding a seven-game hit streak going back to last week. In five games this week, Schott slashed .409/.435/.682 and hit home runs in back-to-back games on July 24 and 25. Schott finishes the week with five RBI and five runs scored.
Infielder Seth Dardar (Columbia), is on a tear of his own, riding an 11-game hit streak; Dardar has not gone hitless since June 30. This week, Dardar went 8-for-16 (.500) with one home run, six RBI, five runs scored, four walks and just two strikeouts while sporting an OPS of 1.600.
On the mound, Foster Gifford (Wichita State) shined in Walnut Creek’s 3-2 win over the Solano Mudcats on July 22. The starter pitched 6.0 innings, allowing four hits, no earned runs and no walks while striking out six to earn the win.
The Crawdads wrap up the regular season next week with a gauntlet of CCL North opponents; facing the Potters three times, the Mudcats twice and the Prune Packers once.
— Joe Pohoryles
Solano Mudcats: 6-18 overall, 1-4 Week 6
It was not the best week for the Mudcats, with a 14-10 victory over the Crawdads on July 21 as the only bright spot.
Even with the rough week in the win-loss column, 2021 CCL Showcase Offensive MVP Riley Lamb (USC) continues to shine at the plate. The catcher went 8-for-23 (.347) on the week with four RBI and four runs scored.
Infielder Tassos Foster (Willamette) had a strong week as well, going 5-for-15 (.333) with an OPS of .807. Foster drove in three runs of his own and walked four times, displaying terrific plate discipline.
Foster’s fellow Willamette Bearcat, Brady Joyner (Willamette), starred on the mound. Across three relief appearances, Joyner pitched 2.1 shutout innings, allowing just three hits and two walks to go with five strikeouts.
The Mudcats wrap up the regular season with six in-conference games; three against the Prune Packers, two against the Crawdads and one against the Potters.
— Joe Pohoryles
CCL South Division
Santa Barbara Foresters: 17-7 overall, 6-0 Week 6
The Foresters had a dominant week, taking over as the top team in the CCL South after sweeping the week. The Foresters took home a win over the Saints, who were previously leading the division. Outside of the CCL South games played this week, the Foresters knocked off the Ventura County Pirates in non-league play.
Jared Thomas (Abilene Christian) hit .500 this week. His 2-for-4 performance against the Saints was instrumental in the Foresters win, as he scored the only run of the game for either team.
Justin Eckhardt (Texas) brought home a win for the Foresters on the pitching side of things. He pitched seven shutout innings against the Saints, only allowing two hits and striking out five. This game was his second win of the season, and sets him up well for the playoffs.
In the final week of the regular season, the Foresters will play another two games against Arroyo Seco, and single games against the Riptide, Oaks and Barons.
— Emily Morton
Arroyo Seco Saints: 15-9 overall, 2-3 Week 6
The Saints had an up-and-down week, splitting games with the Barons and beating the Oaks, while losing a tight 1-0 game to the first place Foresters on Saturday night. Sunday’s game was one to throw away, as they endured a 10-2 defeat to the Riptide.
Lead-off hitter Connor Bradshaw (Pepperdine) continued his hot summer, logging nine hits in 22 at bats, good for a .409 average for the week with four RBIs. Josh Cowden (BYU) has been hitting the ball exceptionally well over the past few weeks, and had two hits in all three games he played this week with a home run and three RBIs.
John Chomko (UT San Antonio) had the best start for the Saints, pitching four shutout innings against the Foresters and striking out an impressive nine batters. Only three outs were not recorded by strikeouts, as Chomko allowed just two hits and a walk.
The Saints will end their regular season with road games against the Riptide, Foresters and Oaks, with home games at the beginning of the week against the Barons and the Foresters.
— Lucas Banks
San Luis Obispo Blues: 13-12 overall, 3-3 Week 6
The Blues took home back-to-back wins over the MLB Barons this week, with a dominant 11-4 win in the second game. The Blues took losses to the Foresters, Oaks and Riptide, but are still one game ove .500 in league play. They currently sit in third, 4.5 games behind the Foresters.
Grant Burton (Stanford) smacked his hitting performance out of the park this week. He was 3-for-6 in two games played, with a double and a home run. He’s been hot recently, raising his average up 145 points since July 16. Vincenzo Bologna (Fresno State) also was solid, going 5-for-9 at the plate this week, with five runs of his own to contribute to the Blues week.
Heston Tole (Arkansas) picked up one of the team wins against the Barons. His six inning pitching performance helped out the Blues as he gave up only one hit, and no runs. Those shutout innings brought his season ERA down to a 2.90.
Next week, the Blues will play another two games against the Barons, and a single game against both the Oaks and Saints. They will also face off with the Riptide early in the week.
— Emily Morton
Conejo Oaks: 11-13 overall, 2-4 Week 6
The Conejo Oaks had a tough start to the week, dropping games to the Foresters and Riptide, but were able to beat the Riptide and the Blues later in the week for their two wins. They finished with a loss to the Saints and a tight, 4-3 loss to the first place Foresters.
In the Oaks’ nail-biter win over the Riptide, 8-7, Greg Mehlhaff (Pepperdine) scored 2 runs on 2 hits while Brendan Bobo (Cal State Fullerton) and Raul Sandoval (UC Davis) each contributed 3 RBIs each.
Lucien Wechsberg (Oxnard College) pitched 4 strong innings against the Foresters last Tuesday, where he struck out 7 of the 18 batters faced.
The Oaks will look to finish out their summer strong, as they will play the Barons twice, and the Oaks, Riptide, Foresters and Saints once apiece. They’re in a close race with the Riptide for the last of five playoff spots.
— Andi Basista
Orange County Riptide: 12-13 overall, 4-2 Week 6
The Riptide won some key league games this week, knocking off the Blues, Oaks, Saints and Barons to win four out of their six games. They dropped games to the Oaks and Foresters in the middle of the week, but currently own the last playoff spot with a slim half-game lead over Conejo.
Terrance Simmons (UConn) was on another planet this week, going 11-for-19 with three homers and an astonishing 11 RBIs. He was huge in the Riptide’s 10-2 win over the Saints, collecting four hits, including a moonshot to right center field for his fourth homer of the season. Arizona Diamondbacks draft pick Davis Diaz (Vanderbilt) was a problem for CCL pitchers all week, smacking 9 hits in 19 at bats, and accumulating a .619 on-base-percentage out of the lead-off spot.
Cade Connolly (Santa Clara) was masterful in Sunday’s win over the Saints. He tossed five shutout innings, working quickly and never allowing the Saints to get any momentum against him. He also threw one inning in relief against the Blues, finishing the week with six shutout innings and allowing only three hits.
The Riptide will look to stay hot in the final week of the regular season, but will have to face the first place Foresters twice and the second place Saints once as well in their quest for the postseason. Their game against the Oaks on Saturday could prove to be pivotal for that spot, as it is the second to last game of the summer.
— Gianna Cefalu
Academy Barons: 5-19 overall, 1-5 Week 6
The Barons had another tough week, although were able to gut out a win against the second place Saints on Wednesday night for their only win of the week.
Alec Gonzalez (Tennessee) came up big in the two games against the Saints, going a combined 7-for-10 with five RBIs, including a 4-hit performance in their win. Darrien McDowell (Pensacola State) launched a two-run shot in that game as well, his third of the season.
Yuji Sakane (East Los Angeles JC) was dominant in relief during the Barons’ 7-4 loss to the Riptide, tossing 3.1 no-hit innings, walking two and striking out two.
The Barons will have another full load of games next week, playing the Oaks and Blues twice each, with one against the Foresters and one against the Saints.
— Lucas Banks
No matter which team comes away with the 2021 California Collegiate League (CCL) State Championship presented by Placer Valley Tourism, their path to the title will be unlike any the CCL has seen before. Literally.
With a postseason structure newly designed for the 2021 season, the CCL is aiming for an improved championship experience.
The new format departs from the previous best-of-three series in the North and three-team single elimination bracket in the South, now merging the two divisions into a unified five-team, double-elimination tournament to determine the California State Champion.
2021 CCL State Championship
Presented by Placer Valley Tourism
Wednesday, August 4, to Friday, August 6, 2021
McBean Stadium // 61 McBean Park Dr., Lincoln, CA 95648
[+ Download Printable Bracket // Updated August 4 // 10 p.m. ]
The team with the best overall record across both divisions will earn the top seed, while the next-best record in the opposite division will earn the two-seed. Three wild card teams with the best remaining records will fill up the rest of the playoff pool, and the entire tournament will take place from Aug. 4-6.
Orange County Riptide general manager Moe Geohagen designed the format, and the league planned to implement it in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the season. After tweaks to Geohagen’s initial proposal, the CCL is primed to debut the new championship.
“We want to culminate the end of the season with something that’s special for [the players],” CCL Executive Director Aaron Milam said. “We said, ‘let’s make something new, let’s make it here.’”
The location is new this year as well; the Lincoln Potters will host the championship at McBean Stadium northeast of San Francisco, bringing a major CCL event to the North for the first time.
How did Lincoln end up with the prestigious honor of hosting? According to Potters general manager Matt Lundgren, it was as simple as just being first to volunteer.
“One day, when the league brought the idea up, I just threw our name into the hat,” Lundgren said.
Of course, there was more to it than that. CCL Commissioner Rick Turner cites Lincoln as an organization dedicated to improving the product and brand of CCL baseball. Lundgren also believes the facilities and fan support in Lincoln will make for an ideal host.
With the 2021 CCL Showcase presented by ABDG already taking place at the MLB Academy in the South division, the championship committee felt it was important to get a major event at a North division host.
“It is paramount that the league starts to recognize the opportunity we have,” Turner said. “We’re really strong down South, but if there’s a growth opportunity, it would be up North.”
Both Turner and Lundgren will judge the success of the new format by the product on the field; they hope it will be a great experience for the players first and foremost. Everything else – facilities, fan support, revenue gain – will be taken into account as well, but Lundgren hopes this will become a staple of the league.
Another aspect in the works is the awards. As of now, Louisville Slugger items will be designed for the Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Pitcher, with possibilities for more as planning progresses.
Turner also said he’d like to eventually see the Showcase and Championship flip locations annually, moving the Showcase up North and bringing the Championship to the South every other year. He also said he is open to establishing more league-wide events in future seasons, but for now the CCL is strictly focusing on this year.
More than anything, Turner is excited for the final product, given all the effort put into it.
“They’re not just phoning it in, going through the motions because it doesn’t seem like it matters,” Turner said. “The competition is the biggest thing and the early indications are it’ll be a spirited season with a great culmination of the state playoffs.”
— Joe Pohoryles, CCL Reporter
With the CCL Showcase Game sandwiched in the middle of Week 5, each team had a bit of a break in the action and played less games this week. With only two full weeks to go after this week, it’s now or never for teams in the playoff race. Healdsburg and Arroyo Seco kept their first place spot for the second week in a row, and will be looking to run away with that spot in the coming weeks. Here is the CCL week four (July 12-18) review for all 10 clubs.
CCL North Division
(Team, league record, week record)
Healdsburg Prune Packers: 17-4 overall, 3-1 Week 5
The Healdsburg Prune Packers competed in only four games this week, three of which stepped outside of the CCL North. The Prune Packers continued their winning streak with a win over the Novato Knicks and two victories over the Palo Alto Oaks, but lost to the streaking Lincoln Potters on Sunday.
Hance Smith (Cal Berkeley) performed consistently, collecting six hits with five RBI for a BA of .333. Smith had an exceptional game in the Prune Packers 11-0 victory over the Palo Alto Oaks, where he went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI. Cam Blake (Texas Rio Grande Valley) had a similar game against the Palo Alto Oaks, as he also cranked a double, one run on three hits and two RBI.
Finnegan Wall (Cal Irvine) pitched a solid 3.0 innings in the Prune Packers win on Saturday, striking out five without allowing a run. Wall allowed for only one hit and maintained his perfect 0.00 ERA on the season.
The Prune Packers will jump back into their busy CCL schedule with match-ups with the Mudcats, Potters and Crawdads next week.
— Andi Basista
Lincoln Potters: 13-9 overall, 5-0 Week 5
The Lincoln Potters kicked-off their week on a high note with a 15-2 win against the Solano Mudcats. They got two days of rest, and came out swinging, with a 9-3 win over the Walnut Creek Crawdads. The red hot Potters would win two more games against the Mudcats in dominant fashion, with a 9-4 win, and a 16-7 victory. In a pivotal match-up with Healdsburg on Sunday, they came away with the close 6-5 win.
Chase Stanke (Minnesota) had a standout week in the batters box, going 9-for-15 with three doubles, three RBIs, and four runs scored. Garret Forrester (Oregon St.) had an impressive performance in their 9-3 win against the Crawdads, going 3-4 with two doubles and four RBIs.
Not only were the bats on fire, but the pitchers kept their opponents at bay. Brandon Gomez (Sierra JC) started the week off strong in the bullpen, striking out four batters in two innings in their 15-2 victory against the Mudcats. Shane Gustafson (Nevada Reno) had a standout performance in their 9-3 win against the Crawdads, striking out eight in four innings, allowing just four hits and one run.
The Potters return to league play, facing the Crawdads and Healdsburg Prune Packers. They also play a four game non conference series against the Seattle Studs.
— Gianna Cefalu
Walnut Creek Crawdads: 5-14 overall, 3-1 Week 5
The Crawdads finished 3-1 this week, starting the week with a 9-3 loss to Lincoln before taking down the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox twice in a row by scores of 5-1 and 5-4. The week wrapped up with a big 13-3 win over Bercovich Collegiate.
Outfielder Jake Brandel (UC Davis) had 3-hits in Thursday’s loss to the Potters, knocking a double and scoring one run. First baseman Chase Dabbs (St. Mary’s College) as 2-for-4 in that one with an RBI triple in the losing effort.
Starter Foster Gifford (Wichita State) had a good start against the Potters, pitching four innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs without walking any batters.
Next week, the Crawdads take on the Potters, Mudcats twice and the San Francisco Seagulls between July 20-23. The second half of the week brings the Packers and Mudcats again.
— Joe Pohoryles
Solano Mudcats: 5-14 overall, 0-3 Week 5
The Solano Mudcats went winless this week, dropping all three games to the Lincoln Potters by scores of 15-2, 9-4 and 16-7.
Despite the losses, it was a great week for utility Riley Lamb (USC). On top of earning Offensive MVP honors at the 2021 CCL Showcase Game presented by ABDG, Lamb had a standout week at the plate. Lamb went 4-for-12 (.333) with one home run, four RBI and two runs scored on the week.
Kenny DeCelle (Santa Clara) was as consistently great as always. DeCelle slashed .583/.615/.917 this week. For those keeping track at home, that’s an otherworldly 1.532 OPS for the outfielder. He had at least two hits in all three games this week.
Reliever Joseph Dichoco (Sierra JC) had a solid week on the mound, pitching 2.0 innings across two appearances. Dichoco allowed just one hit and one earned run between the two games.
Next week, the Mudcats face the Walnut Creek Crawdads three times and the Healdsburg Prune Packers twice.
— Joe Pohoryles
CCL South Division
Arroyo Seco Saints: 13-6 overall, 3-0 Week 5
The Saints only had three games on the schedule this week, but they made the most out of them. Arroyo Seco started the week with a 10-0 victory over the Oaks on Thursday before sweeping the Blues in a two-game set Friday and Sunday, growing their lead in the division to 1.5 games.
Drew Cowley (Cal Poly Pomona) had a big week, going 6-for-12 and finishing it off a 3-for-4 day against the Blues on Sunday. He smacked two doubles, putting the cherry on top with a solo shot to left field to finish with 3 RBIs, and 5 for the week.
Merek Sears (Washington State) was stellar in Thursday’s win over the Oaks, pitching four shutout innings and allowing just three hits while striking out three. He now holds a 3.69 ERA on the season, the lowest among Saints starters.
Arroyo Seco will play five games next week, with two against the Barons and one against the Oaks, Foresters and Riptide and will be looking to run away with first place in the South.
— Lucas Banks
Santa Barbara Foresters: 11-7 overall, 4-0 Week 5
The Foresters swept their week of play, snagging two wins against the Barons and one against the Blues in CCL South play. The also picked up a non-conference win against the Ventura County Pirates on Friday.
Nathan Rombach (Texas Tech) had a monster week, hitting an average of .600 in four games. He was 6-for-10 with a double and five RBIs, helping the Foresters beat the Barons in back-to-back games.
Brandon Beckel (Texas Tech) had the best start of the week, pitching five scoreless innings to go along with four strikeouts. This is his first win of the season, and helped lower his season ERA to 2.07 over 13 innings pitched.
Looking ahead, the Foresters will play the Oaks twice, and the Blues, Riptide and Saints once in a full week. Santa Barbara has dropped all three games to the Saints this season, and will be hungry for a win on Saturday.
— Emily Morton
San Luis Obispo Blues: 10-9 overall, 1-3 Week 5
The Blues had a quiet start to the week, not playing until Thursday due to the CCL Showcase in which they sent eight players. They dropped two games to the Saints, but were able to pick up a weekend home win against the Riptide in between.
Ruben Mercado (San Jose St University) had a great week, hitting .400 in 20 at-bats. He drove in two runs for the Blues and had three doubles and five singles.
Vaughn Mauterer (Cal Berkeley) had his best game of the season on Sunday against the Saints, pitching 4.1 innings in relief and giving up just one run on five hits. He had some nasty movement on his pitches and racked up seven strikeouts.
Heading into the last two weeks of the season, the Blues have three games against the Barons next week, in addition to one against the Foresters, Oaks and Riptide.
— Emily Morton
Conejo Oaks: 8-8 overall, 2-2 Week 5
The Conejo Oaks walked into a bumpy start for the week, losing a 10-0 game to the Saints followed by a 7-4 loss to the Riptide. However, a 4-2 victory was earned on Saturday as the Oaks defeated the Ventura County Pirates, and they finished on a high note with a 5-2 win over the Riptide.
TJ Foreman (Austin Peay) scored two runs this week, one of which came in clutch during the win over the Ventura County Pirates. Brendan Bobo (Cal State Fullerton) had the highest average on the team for the week, hitting .286 with four singles and one run scored.
Jacob Flores (San Diego State University) aided in the Oaks win over the Pirates with power, pitching for 2.0 innings. Flores faced 7 batters and struck out 3 while also keeping earned runs to nothing, earning a 0.00 ERA.
The Oaks will resume play on Tuesday with a match-up against the Foresters, followed by games versus the Riptide, Saints and Blues.
— Andi Basista
Orange County Riptide: 8-10 overall, 2-2 Week 5
The Riptide won back to back games to start the week, winning a close 7-6 game against the MLB Academy Barons, and then beat the Conejo Oaks 7-4. The Blues and Oaks would snap that short lived winning streak, as they both beat the Riptide on Saturday and Sunday to close out their 2-2 week.
Terrence Simmons (Connecticut) batted an impressive .385 on the week. Simmons had a notable performance at the plate in their 7-4 victory against the Oaks, going a perfect 3-for-3, with a triple, a homer, and three RBI’s. Kolton Freeman (Dartmouth) saw the ball well against the Barons, going 2-for-3 with a double and two walks.
Spencer Edwards (Cornell) had a strong performance on the mound this week, striking out six batters in six innings against the Barons. Cade Connolly (Santa Clara) pitched a gem against the Oaks, striking out six in four innings, and only gave up two hits.
The Riptide have a full slate of CCL games next week, as they face the Oaks, Blues, Foresters, Barons, and Saints.
— Gianna Cefalu
Academy Barons: 4-14 overall, 0-3 Week 5
Another team with only three games scheduled this week, the Barons had another tough week, dropping a close one to the Riptide before losing two in a row to the Foresters.
Jordan Williams (San Jacinto College) and Christian Webb (Seminole State College) both hit .500 for the week, going 4-for-8 each and helping the Barons on offense.
One of the Barons all-stars, Eldridge Armstrong (San Diego State), continued his dominant season with 2.1 shutout innings, striking out three and giving up just one hit.
The Barons are back to a full slate of games next week, with one match-up against the Riptide, two against the Saints, and three against the Blues.
— Lucas Banks
View // Bally Sports Broadcast // Showcase Game Roster Announcement
COMPTON, CA — The middle of July is always an exciting time for the sport of baseball, with the MLB Draft and All-Star Game showcasing some of the best talent in the world. On Wednesday night, July 14, the California Collegiate League held its annual Showcase Game at the MLB Academy, and the players put on a show for an audience across the country on Bally Sports and in front of scouts and fans in Compton. The South Division ultimately came out on top with a 6-2 victory, overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the 3rd Inning.
Los Angeles Dodgers legend, longtime Los Angeles Angels manager, and skipper for Team USA, Mike Scioscia, was in attendance for the game. A co-founder of the CCL’s Conejo Oaks and the Amateur Baseball Development Group (ABDG), Scioscia expressed his excitement about how the showcase evidenced the league’s advancement.
“We’re getting more national recognition for the caliber of players that are playing in our league,” Scioscia said. “These are very highly skilled players.”
Catcher Riley Lamb (Solano Mudcats, USC) won Offensive MVP honors, going 3-4 with two doubles. Third baseman Drew Cowley (Arroyo Seco Saints, Cal Poly Pomona) won Defensive MVP, making a tough play in the fifth to save two runs. Pitcher Cody Adcock (Conejo Oaks, Ole Miss) rounded out the award winners earning Pitcher of the Game, striking out two of four batters in 1.0 innings pitched.
In typical Showcase Game fashion, pitching was on display early in this one. Both South pitcher Adcock and North right-hander Matt Sox (San Luis Obispo Blues, Utah) threw shutout innings, striking out four batters combined in a scoreless first.
“It was awesome,” Adcock said. “I just soaked it up, and I’m enjoying it. I’m trying to have a good time, and it was fun tonight.”
Third baseman Tate Samuelson (Blues, Cal Poly SLO) led off the 2nd Inning with a single to left, and second baseman Trevor Haskins (Lincoln Potters, Stanford) worked a walk to get two runners on. Despite the early pressure, South Division pitcher Andrew Pogue (Orange County Riptide, Illinois) settled in and retired the next three batters to get out of the jam.
Chase Chatman (MLB Academy Barons, Florida Gulf Coast) and Heston Tole (Blues, Arkansas) pitched shutout innings for their respective squads in the 3rd Inning, with each pitcher logging a strikeout and keeping the game at zeros.
The North Division would get on the board first in this one, putting up a two-spot on pitcher Tommy Steier (Saints, Creighton). After Samuelson reached on an error, Trevor Haskins (Potters, Stanford) lined a single to center. Samuelson raced to third, and was waved home after the ball was mishandled in center field. He would later score on an RBI grounder by Jason Brandow (Potters, Cal State Fullerton) to give the North a 2-0 lead.
The South responded immediately, as Saints catcher Peyton Lewis (Texas State) got on base off a catcher’s interference. His teammate, Cowley, broke up the combined no-hitter in the next at bat, driving Lewis home in the process to cut the lead in half.
The North threatened to extend their lead thanks to catcher Austin Schell (Blues, Cal State Fullerton) knocking a double and outfielder Mason Holt (Potters, Louisiana Monroe) getting a walk with one out, but South pitchers Tony Robie (Riptide, Texas State) and Clay Rickerman (Oaks, Cal Lutheran) tag-teamed to earn the last two outs.
Singles from the Darrien McDowell (Barons, Pensacola State College) and Josh Cowden (Saints, Brigham Young), and a walk from Davis Diaz (Riptide, Vanderbilt). loaded the bases for the South. Jordan Williams (Barons, San Jacinto CC) reached on a fielder’s choice to tie the game entering the sixth.
Tied at two in the 6th Inning, Tristan Garnett (Saints, Cal State Dominguez Hills) entered to try and hold the lead, and did just that. Garnett struck out the first two batters he faced, and got an easy grounder to first base to end the inning.
The floodgates opened for the South at the bottom of the frame. Lewis got on base again via a walk, and he got around to third off a Grant Smith (Oaks, Incarnate Word) single.
The Saints catcher scored his second run of the day on a wild pitch to give the South their first lead of the night.
Tanner O’Tremba (Foresters, Arizona) and Kyle Booker (Riptide, Tennessee) combined to drive in three more runs in the following at-bats to give the South a 6-2 lead.
Looking for a shutdown inning, the South turned to pitcher Cole Reeves (Foresters, Dallas Baptist). He quickly retired the first two batters, but gave up a double to Riley Lamb his third hit of the game. That was all the North would get, as Reeves struck out his final batter to end the threat.
“I kind of just try not to think too much up there,” Lamb said. “Doesn’t matter really what pitcher’s up there for me. I just want to play my game.”
Miller Pleimann (Blues, Arkansas) came in for the North and tossed a one-two-three inning to end the 7th. Both teams would go down quietly in the eighth.
Gabriel Starks (Foresters, Arkansas) came in for the ninth inning and slammed the door on the North Division, striking out two and giving the South the 6-2 victory.
The second half of the summer season is now underway, with the 2021 CCL State Championship presented by Placer Valley Tourism slated for August 4-6 in Lincoln, Calif.
Contributors
– CCL Reporters Joe Pohoryles and Lucas Banks
– CCL Photographers Angie Martinez, Emily Sullivan, and Alina Nelson
– CCL Videographers Brandon Lin and Rhett Spenrath
It was an eventful week for the CCL, with each team playing a full slate of games. These last few weeks will be monumental for each team to solidify their position in the CCL playoffs in August, and there were some jumps in the standings. The Arroyo Seco Saints now lead the South Division, thanks to a perfect league week, while Healdsburg continues to dominate the North Division. Here is the CCL week four (June 6-11) review for all 10 clubs.
CCL North Division
Healdsburg Prune Packers: 17-2 overall, 7-0 Week 4
The Healdsburg Prune Packers stepped out of league play for two games against the Fresno A’s this past week, winning both non-conference games in commanding fashion, 20-2 and 17-0. The Prune Packers continued to dominate as they jumped back into CCL play with 13-5 and 7-3 victories over the Crawdads, and a double-header sweep of the Mudcats
Hance Smith (Cal Berkeley) had himself a week, posting eight hits in 20 at bats with three homers and 16 RBI to round out a .400 batting average for the week. Jesse Lopez (Cal State Fullerton) also kept his bat hot, going 12-for-28 (.429) with four doubles, three triples, two homers and six RBI.
Derek Bridges (Texas Tech) maintained the pace from the mound by only allowing two hits in 5.0 innings, striking out eight for a perfect 0.00 ERA on the week.
The Prune Packers will compete in three non-conference games and end the week with a match up against the Potters on Sunday.
— Andi Basista
Lincoln Potters: 7-9 overall, 4-1 Week 4
The Potters exploded offensively this week, putting up 21 total runs in two games against the Gold Sox and Walnut Creek Crawdads. The team took a trip north to Oregon and won two out of three against the Medford Rogue.
Carson Blatnick (Washington) hit a home run and had an RBI in their 12-4 win against the Gold Sox. Jacob Shaver (Arizona) had a solid performance against the Crawdads in the batter’s box, going 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI.
Pitcher Carter Delaney (Undecided) was in the zone on the mound, striking out six batters in five shutout innings against the Crawdads. Lucas Wepf (Louisiana Monroe) relieved Delaney, and was lights out on the bump. He went three innings, and struck out three batters, and didn’t give up a single hit or run.
The Potters face off against the Crawdads, along with three games against the Solano Mudcats. They close out the week with a game against the red hot 17-2 Healdsburg Prune Packers.
— Gianna Cefalu
Solano Mudcats: 5-9 overall, 0-4 Week 4
The Mudcats played just twice before Sunday, dropping both games. A 20-7 loss to Walnut Creek was followed up by an 11-7 loss to Healdsburg. They then dropped both games of their double-header with Healdsburg, finishing the week winless.
First baseman/outfielder Jordan Petrushka (Holy Cross) had the highlight performance, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in the loss to Healdsburg on July 10. Petrushka also had two runs scored, driving the offense despite the loss.
Outfielder Kenny DeCelle (Santa Monica) continued his consistent hitting. Across the first two games this week, the CCL Showcase selection went 3-for-8 with two RBI.
Brady Joyner (Willamette University) pitched well in the opening game of the double-header, going 5 innings and giving up just two runs on three hits while striking out five. He kept them in the game, but Healdsburg jumped on their next pitcher to extend their lead to 5-1, which would be the final score.
The Mudcats will be playing three games against the Lincoln Potters next week, with the CCL Showcase game sandwiched between.
— Joe Pohoryles
Walnut Creek Crawdads: 5-12 overall, 2-4 Week 4
The Crawdads put up a hitting clinic against the Solano Mudcats with a 20-7 victory on July 6. The ‘Dads followed it up with a 6-4 win over the San Francisco Seagulls the next day, but lost the next four games in a row, twice to the Healdsburg Prune Packers and twice to the Lincoln Potters.
Infielder Trevor Werner (Texas A&M) led the offensive output, going 7-for-18 (.389) on the week, which was the best average on the team. Werner’s best single-game performance was in the 13-5 loss to the Packers on July 8, where he went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and one run scored. Werner totaled six RBI on the week and led the team with two doubles and one triple.
Infielder Chase Dabbs (St. Mary’s) had an impressive week at the plate as well, going 5-for-16 (.313) with four RBI and three runs scored. Two 0-for-4 days brought his average down, taking away from a 3-for-5 night in the win over Solano and a 2-for-3 performance in Friday’s loss to Healdsburg.
Joshua Sanders (Texas Tech) was big out of the bullpen for the Crawdads, throwing 3.2 innings over two games and giving up just one hit while striking out 5.
Next week, the Crawdads will face the Lincoln Potters after the CCL Showcase Game, followed by three non-league games.
— Joe Pohoryles
CCL South Division
Arroyo Seco Saints: 10-6 overall, 5-1 Week 4
The Saints are the hottest team in the South division, winning all five league games this week before losing a tight one to the San Diego Waves on Sunday to end the week. Three of those wins were nail biters, as they beat the Riptide in 13 innings on Tuesday and defeated the Foresters twice in close games.
Drew Cowley (Cal Poly Pomona) was the reason for the win over the Foresters on Thursday, smacking a walk-off three-run homer with two strikes and two outs in the ninth. He went 8-for-25 (.320) on the week with that one home run and eight RBI. It was him and Connor Bradshaw (Pepperdine) who carried the load offensively, with Bradshaw going 16-for-30 (.533) with a home run and 11 RBI.
Dominick DiRado (Binghampton) came up clutch in the 13-inning win over the Riptide, pitching all four extra innings and closing out the game with runners on base. Tommy Hannan (Cal Berkeley) tossed six shutout innings in relief for the week, maintaining his perfect 0.00 ERA.
The Saints will play the Waves again Tuesday and the Oaks on Thursday before traveling to San Luis Obispo to play two games against the Blues this weekend.
— Lucas Banks
Conejo Oaks: 8-6 overall, 5-1 Week 4
The Conejo Oaks had a busy week, winning five of their six games played. Two victories over the Barons and two over the Blues helped to take attention away from a 9-0 loss to the Riptide.
Reagan Buford (Mississippi) played a solid last six games, but his most substantial one came in the Oaks’ 14-5 win over the Blues. The freshman scored three runs in three at bats, smacking a homer and five RBI. Burford’s overall numbers for the week total out to six hits in 13 at bats with nine RBI. Grant Smith (Incarnate Word) also had a power week of rounding out the bases. The infielder ended scoring six runs in 21 at bats with two doubles for a .429 week BA.
Aidan Garza (Saint Mary) had an great game in the Oaks unfortunate loss to the Riptide. The sophomore pitched 3.2 innings and struck out six of the 13 batters faced, allowing just two hits and no runs.
The Oaks will take some time off and resume play on Thursday against the Saints, followed by two games against the Riptide and one versus the Ventura County Pirates this weekend.
— Andi Basista
San Luis Obispo Blues: 9-6 overall, 3-3 Week 4
The Blues took two out of three against the Foresters this week, splitting two early in the week and winning Sunday to take the series. They also dropped two games to the Oaks, but were able to seal the deal on a 7-6 victory over the OC Riptide.
Outfielder Vincent Martinez (Stanford) hit .450 for the Blues this week, going 9-for-20 with a double, triple, home run and four RBI.
Evan Larson (Concordia University) picked up a win this week after pitching six shutout innings against the Foresters, lowering his conference ERA down to a 1.28. The pitcher has appeared in four games this year, three of those being wins for the team (two earned wins for Larson).
This week they will face off with the Saints, Riptide and Foresters. The Saints have a forceful closing game which will challenge the Blues relief pitchers. The Riptide has been coming out of the gate early, which will also be a challenge for Blues.
— Emily Morton
Santa Barbara Foresters: 8-7 overall, 2-4 Week 4
The Foresters had a tough week with two close losses to the Saints, and two to the Blues. The nine-inning nail biters were shook off on Saturday as they came alive beating the OC Riptide 15-9 in their Saturday showdown.
Dylan Campbell (Texas) led the Foresters in hitting this week, going 10-for-24 with two homers and seven RBI. Both homers game against the Saints on Friday night, and he contributed two RBI in the 15-9 win over the Riptide.
Chase Webster (Texas Tech) picked up the win against OC Riptide this week for his pitching performance. Webster has pitched in four games, and still holds onto a 0.00 ERA, establishing himself as one of the better relief pitchers for the Foresters.
Up next the Foresters will have players in the CCL Showcase game. The team will then face off with the Blues, Barons, and Pirates. The Foresters took home a win over the Blues this past week and are looking to do the same again.
— Emily Morton
Orange County Riptide: 6-9 overall, 2-4 Week 4
The Riptide opened up the week with a tough, grueling 13 inning loss to the Arroyo Seco Saints. They scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game up at 11, but the Saints’ bats pulled away. The heart breaker didn’t seem to faze them, as they bounced right back in dominant fashion, beating the Conejo Oaks 9-0.
It would be one of their two wins of the week, as they dropped a close 7-6 game against the San Luis Obispo Blues. They scored a combined 21 runs in their last two games, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Academy Barons or Foresters.
Despite the rough week, Austin Kryszczuk (UNLV) shined offensively, going 7-for-13, with three doubles and six RBI. UNLV teammate Edarian Williams also had a great week at the plate, going 11-23 with 5 doubles and 11 RBIs including a 5-hit performance against the Saints.
Anthony Robie (Texas State) continues to dominate on the mound for the Riptide, as he had 10 strikeouts in 7 shutout innings against the Conejo Oaks. Nikelle Galatas (Jackson State) also had an impressive outing on the bump, going five shutout innings and striking out four against a competitive Blues team.
The Riptide return to action on Tuesday as they take on the MLB Academy Barons, with two more games against the Conejo Oaks and San Luis Obispo Blues.
— Gianna Cefalu
Academy Barons: 4-11 overall, 1-5 Week 4
Playing their first full slate of games so far this season, the Barons had a tough week, losing to the Saints and Oaks twice. Their one win on the week was impressive though, as they knocked off the Riptide 14-12, logging 18 hits.
Alec Gonzalez (Tennessee) broke out this week, hitting 13-for-27 (.481) with a homer and nine RBI, including a 4-for-4 performance against the Oaks on Thursday. He also hit a huge three-run homer against the Riptide in their win against them. Kamau Neighbors (Long Beach CC) put together a solid week, hitting .353 and scoring three runs with two RBI.
Noel Soto (Cal Poly Pomona) had a great outing against the Oaks on Tuesday, throwing three shutout innings and striking out three.
The Barons will play the Riptide in their first game of the week on Thursday before facing the Santa Barbara Foresters in back-to-back games this weekend.
— Lucas Banks
July 10, 2021
California Collegiate League Commissioner, Rick Turner, and the Selection Committee have announced the participants for the 2021 CCL Showcase Game presented by the Amateur Baseball Development Group (ABDG).
2021 CCL Showcase Game
Presented by ABDG
Wednesday, July 14 // 7 pm PST
Watch on Bally Sports TV // Tickets may be purchased at the gate
MLB Academy Stadium // 901 E. Artesia Blvd, Compton, CA 90221
Player Combine // MLB Scouts & College Coaches // 4 pm PST
North Division Roster
| Pitchers | Pos. | CCL Team | Outfielders | Pos. | CCL Team | |
| Joe Ammirato | RHP | HLD | EJ Brown | OF | SOL | |
| Derek Bridges | LHP | HLD | Jeffery David | OF | LIN | |
| Ole Iverson | LHP | WCC | Kenny DeCelle | OF | SOL | |
| LJ McDonough | RHP | HLD | Quinton Hall | OF | LIN | |
| Roman Phansalker | RHP | HLD | Mason Holt | OF | LIN | |
| Miller Pleimann | LHP | SLO | Jesse Lopez | OF | HLD | |
| David Reckers | RHP | SOL | ||||
| Tommy Scavone | RHP | WCC | Second Basemen | |||
| Matt Sox | RHP | SLO | Tassos Foster | 2B | SOL | |
| Heston Tole | RHP | SLO | Ryan Targac | 2B | HLD | |
| Kyle Wisch | RHP | SLO | ||||
| Shortstops | ||||||
| Catchers | Ian McMillan | SS | HLD | |||
| Riley Lamb | C | SOL | Trevor Werner | SS | WCC | |
| Austin Schell | C | SLO | ||||
| Kimble Schuessler | C | HLD | Third Basemen | |||
| Diego Munoz | 3B | WCC | ||||
| First Basemen | Tate Samuelson | 3B | SLO | |||
| Garett Forrester | 1B | LIN | ||||
| Mason Grotto | 1B | SLO | ||||
| Designated Hitters | ||||||
| Jason Brandow | DH | LIN | ||||
| Curran Ozawa-Burns | DH | WCC |
Manager // Bob Miller, SLO
South Division Roster
| Pitchers | Pos. | CCL Team | Outfielders | Pos. | CCL Team | |
| Cody Adcock | RHP | CON | Dwight Allen | OF | OCR | |
| Chase Chatman | LHP | MLB | Kyle Booker | OF | OCR | |
| Tristan Garnett | LHP | AS | Connor Bradshaw | OF | AS | |
| Creighton Hansen | RHP | AS | Josh Cowden | OF | AS | |
| Chazz Martinez | LHP | MLB | Cooper Elliot | OF | AS | |
| Andrew Pogue | RHP | OCR | Jordan Williams | OF | MLB | |
| Cole Reeves | RHP | SBF | ||||
| Tony Robie | RHP | OCR | Second Basemen | |||
| Gabriel Starks | RHP | SBF | Zack Gregory | 2B | CON | |
| Tommy Steier | RHP | AS | Andrew Kachel | 2B | SBF | |
| Steven Zobac | RHP | SBF | ||||
| Shortstops | ||||||
| Catchers | Kemet Brown | SS | MLB | |||
| Anson Aroz | C | CON | Davis Diaz | SS | OCR | |
| Eric Bigani | C | OCR | ||||
| Nate Rombach | C | SBF | Third Basemen | |||
| Drew Cowley | 3B | AS | ||||
| First Basemen | Grant Smith | 3B | CON | |||
| Brendan Bobo | 1B | CON | ||||
| Darrien McDowell | 1B | MLB | ||||
| Designated Hitters | ||||||
| Reagan Burford | DH | CON | ||||
| Tanner O’Tremba | DH | SBF |
Manager // Aaron Milam, AS
—
Team Designations // MLB – MLB Academy Barons, AS – Arroyo Seco Saints, CON – Conejo Oaks, HLD – Healdsburg Prune Packers, LIN – Lincoln Potters, OCR – Orange County Riptide, SLO – San Luis Obispo Blues, SBF – Santa Barbara Foresters, SOL – Solano Mudcats, WCC – Walnut Creek Crawdads
With three weeks under each teams’ belt, things have started to take shape in the standings. The preseason favorites, Santa Barbara and Healdsburg, have taken control of first place in their respective divisions, although the South division is still very much up for grabs. Here is the CCL week three (June 29 to July 4) review for all 10 clubs.
CCL North Division
(Team, Week Record)
Lincoln Potters: 6-0
The Potters bats were hot all week, as they topped the Solano Mudcats in back-to-back games, combining for 25 runs. Lincoln kept it’s momentum going in a non-league contest against the Yuba Sutter Gold Sox, beating them 10-4. The Potters also beat the Novato Knicks, scoring eight runs in both contests.
Garret Forrester (Oregon State) came out on fire this week. Forrester went 8-17 with seven runs, seven RBI, two triples, and a home run. Despite his late arrival on June 26, Forrester came in hot and now bats .417. Quinton Hall (Johnson County CC) continues to dominate in the batter’s box, going 9-13 with three doubles, seven runs, and two RBI. Hall now has a .365 BA on the season.
The pitchers had impressive outings on the mound. Marlin Brucato (Undecided) struck out six batters in four and two thirds innings, only allowing two hits and no runs. Logan Bell (Bowling Green) also had a solid performance, with six strikeouts in three innings, not allowing a single run.
The Potters have a three-game series next week against the Medford Rogues, one game against the Gold Sox, and then face the Walnut Creek Crawdads to close out the week.
— Gianna Cefalu, CCL Reporter
Healdsburg Prune Packers: 5-1
The Healdsburg Prune Packers have continued to dominate, topping the league standings with three-straight wins and only one loss to the Crawdads this past week.
Ian McMillan (Houston) was a consistent force for the Prune Packers, counting four runs on six hits between two back-to-back victories over the Crawdads. McMillan rounded out the week with a notable .307 BA.
Jesse Lopez (Long Beach State) kept the heat by averaging a .438 BA on the week with four runs on seven hits. The senior also logged one triple and two RBI in the Prune Packers’ 10-4 win over the Crawdads.
Francis “LJ” McDonough (Wichita State) pitched 3.1 innings against the Crawdads, striking out seven. The junior now sits with an impressive 0.96 ERA on the season.
The Prune Packers will look to continue their momentum as they face the Fresno A’s in back-to-back games, as well as CCL North match-ups against the Crawdads and Mudcats.
— Andi Basista, CCL Reporter
Walnut Creek Crawdads: 2-3
In a four-game gauntlet with the Prune Packers, the Crawdads managed to avoid a sweep with a 3-0 win on July 2 after dropping the first three games. A convincing 19-6 win over the Santa Rosa A’s rounded out their week.
Infielder Anthony Pomilia (Cal State Fullerton) was on fire at the plate, going 7-for-11 (.636). A grand slam on July 3 against Santa Rosa capped off a standout week for Pomilia, where he drove in seven runs and struck out just once.
Outfielder Curran Ozawa-Burns (West Valley College) went 5-for-13 (.385) with a 1.043 OPS.
On the mound, Daniel Garza (Texas San Antonio) put together a masterful performance to help the Crawdads secure the win over the Potters. Garza struck out nine and walked none in seven shutout innings to earn the victory.
Next week, the Crawdads face the Solano Mudcats and San Francisco Seals, followed by a pair of home-and-home series against the Prune Packers and Potters.
— Joe Pohoryles, CCL Reporter
Solano Mudcats: 1-3
The Mudcats dropped three straight before notching their first win of the week, a 6-1 victory over the Humboldt Crabs on July 3. They faced the Crabs again on Independence Day.
Jordan Petrushka (Holy Cross) ended the week going 4-for-7 (.571). The outfielder hit a two-run bomb in the Mudcats’ 6-1 win over the Crabs, highlighting a 3-for-5 night.
Outfielder Kenny DeCelle (Santa Monica) had an impressive week, batting .389 with a .421 OBP. A top offensive player last week, DeCelle continues to be a consistent presence at the plate and a contributor the Mudcats can rely on.
Pitcher Brady Joyner (Willamette) had an elite week on the bump. In two appearances, Joyner pitched five innings with no earned runs and no hits. He struck out all three batters he faced in Solano’s 13-1 loss to Lincoln on June 30, then dished a four-inning save, striking out eight of 16 batters faced and walking just three in the win over the Crabs on July 3.
The Mudcats open the week by hosting the Walnut Creek Crawdads and West Coast Kings, then square-off against the Prune Packers in a three-game set.
— Joe Pohoryles, CCL Reporter
CCL South Division
Orange County Riptide: 4-1
The Orange County Riptide kicked off the week beating the San Luis Obispo Blues in back-to-back games. They also put up 16 runs against the Ventura County Pirates. Orange County continue their win streak, as they beat the Arroyo Seco Saints 9-6 in a nearly four-hour game.
Kolton Freeman (Dartmouth) went 6-12 on the week, with two doubles and four RBI. Kyle Booker (Tennessee) shined offensively against the Blues, going 5-9 with two doubles and two RBI. He also went 2-6 with two RBI in the Riptide’s grind-it-out win against the Saints.
Pitcher Andrew Pogue (Illinois) had a solid week on the mound, combining for eight strikeouts in 5.1 IP, allowing three hits and no runs. Hunter Ash (Cal Poly Pomona) did his job as a reliever, coming in for one inning and striking out the side against the Saints. He also had two strikeouts in one inning in their 4-0 win against the Blues.
The Riptide are back in action with a full slate of conference games against the Saints, Oaks, Blues, Barons, and Foresters. They end the week with a non conference game against the Palm Springs Power.
— Gianna Cefalu, CCL Reporter
Santa Barbara Foresters: 4-2
The Foresters took home back-to-back wins over the San Francisco Seals and added in wins over the Ventura County Pirates and Conejo Oaks. Santa Barbara dropped close games to both the Barons and the Saints.
Infielder Andrew Kachel (Fresno State) had a solid week at the plated batting .444, the highest for the team in the past seven days. In his 18 at-bats, he had eight hits and six runs while only striking out twice. Tanner O’Tremba (Arizona) hit .421 with eight hits and six RBI.
Right-handed pitcher Christian Delashmit (Tennessee) picked up a win against the Conejo Oaks, pitching six innings and only giving up one run. Delaschmit struck out four and only allowed two hits to the 21 batters he faced.
The Foresters have another CCL South stretch of games, facing-off against the Blues, Saints and Riptide.
— Emily Morton, CCL Reporter
Academy Barons: 2-1
The Barons took advantage of their three-game week, beating the Foresters and Riptide and dropping Wednesday’s game to the Oaks. Darrien McDowell (Pensacola State) launched two homers in the loss to the Oaks, and was 4-8 on the week, continuing his hot start to the season. Jaelen Williams (Jackson State) hit a big three-run dinger on Saturday, helping the Barons knock off the Riptide.
Nicholas Martinez (Undecided) was lights out coming out of the pen this week, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing just two hits while striking out three.
The Barons will have a full six-game slate, facing the Oaks, Saints, and Riptide twice apiece.
— Lucas Banks, CCL Reporter
Arroyo Seco Saints: 3-2
After starting the week with three straight wins against the Oaks, Foresters, and Blues, the Saints dropped two close contests against the Riptide and Blues. Jake McMurray (Oral Roberts) broke out of his early season slump, smashing three hits in back-to-back games to raise his average to .333. Drew Cowley (Cal Poly Pomona) was red hot, going 10-20 (.500) with three RBI and five runs scored. He leads the team with a .404 batting average for Arroyo Seco this summer.
The pitching led the way for the Saints. Tommy Steier (Creighton) had a quality start against the Foresters, giving up one run on three hits over six innings, while striking out six in the win.
The Saints will try to get back to their winning ways and will face the Riptide before playing two against the Foresters and two against the Barons.
— Lucas Banks, CCL Reporter
San Luis Obispo Blues: 3-3
The Blues started off the week on a three-game losing streak, but were able to pick-up wins against both the Oaks and Arroyo Seco Saints to finish on a high note.
Austin Schell (Cal State Fullerton) led the Blues offensively with a .471 batting average. He had eight hits in 17 at-bats with only two strikeouts. This brings Schell’s season average to .391.
Zac McCleve (Utah) was one of the two Blues pitchers to pick up a win this week. His performance against the Oaks helped the Blues to win. He pitched 3.1 innings with five strikeouts against the ten batters he faced.
The Blues will face-off against the Oaks, Foresters and Riptide. San Luis Obispo’s games against the Foresters will be must-see, as the two teams are currently in ranked first and second place in the CCL’s South Division.
— Emily Morton, CCL Reporter
Conejo Oaks: 2-4
The Conejo Oaks faced some struggles, losing to the Saints, Foresters and the Blues. The Oaks were, however, able to pull out a commanding win over the Barons on Wednesday, 11-6.
Grant Smith (Incarnate Word) found solid success at the plate as of late. The junior produced an impressive .411 BA over the week. Smith totaled five runs, three of which came in the Oaks’ win over the Barons, where he also had four hits including a homer.
Reagan Burford (Mississippi) notched four runs on four hits, five RBI and two doubles.
Cody Adcock (Mississippi) had an exceptional start on Friday, lowering his season ERA to 1.80 after his performance against the Blues. The freshman faced 17 batters and tossed eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched in that game’s unfortunate 4-5 loss.
The Oaks will look for redemption as they face the Barons and Blues, and the OC Riptide for the first time this season.
— Andi Basista, CCL Reporter