Author: CCL - Page 8 - California Collegiate League (CCL)

With two weeks now in the books for each team in the CCL, things have started to settle into place in the standings. The Healdsburg Prune Packers continue to lead the North Division with a 14-2 record, while the San Luis Obispo Blues lead the South Division with a 13-2 overall record, including 3-0 in league play. Here is the CCL week two (June 22-28) review for all 10 clubs.

CCL North Division

(Team, Week Record)

Healdsburg Prune Packers: 5-1

The Healdsburg Prune Packers played with power this past week with three-straight victories in the CCL, winning 5 out of 6 overall on the week.

Ryan Targac (Texas A&M) topped the books for the Prune Packers, earning six RBI on two home runs. Blake Burke (University of Tennessee) was the impact player in the Packers’ win over the Mudcats, hitting a monster home run along with three RBI on the night. The freshman finished the 11-3 victory with a .354 BA.

Shane O’malley (Nevada Reno) also did his part in the win over the Mudcats. O’malley faced 18 batters, striking out six in 4 innings, lowering his ERA to an astounding 1.64 on the night.

The Prune Packers will pick back up conference play this coming week with four-straight games against the Crawdads.

— Andi Basista, CCL Reporter

Lincoln Potters: 2-4

The Potters started off the week on a four-game losing streak, with two close losses to the Walnut Creek Crawdads and the Solano Mudcats. They snapped their losing streak on Friday, beating the Crawdads 7-6 and were able to carry the momentum into the next game where the Potters exploded offensively, beating the Mudcats 24-12.

Quinton Hall (Johnson County Community College) had another strong hitting performance this week, going 2-4 in the 3-2 loss against the Crawdads. Hall also had a standout game against the Mudcats, with five hits, three runs, and seven RBIs. Hall currently leads the team with four home runs, and 31 RBIs. Jeffrey David (Dallas Baptist U) strung together a total of eight hits, eight RBIs, and a three run home run this week to boost his average to .360 on the summer.

Carson Kohls (Penn St U) had a nice outing this week in a 3-2 loss against the Walnut Creek Crawdads, with five strikeouts in four innings, allowing just two runs on three hits. Shane Gustafson (Nevada Reno) also came up big on the mound, giving up five hits in five innings, striking out eight batters in a 7-6 win against the Crawdads.

The Potters face the Solano Mudcats twice and the Marysville Goldsox once before starting a three game series against the Navota Knicks on Friday.

— Gianna Cefalu, CCL Reporter

Walnut Creek Crawdads: 2-4

The Crawdads lost more than they won this week, but four of their six games were decided by two runs or fewer.

Infielder Diego Muniz (Oklahoma) had a strong week at the plate, highlighted by a 2-for-4 night with two home runs and four RBI in a 7-6 loss to the Lincoln Potters on June 25. For the week, Muniz hit 7-for-24 (.292).

Infielder Hayden Schott (Columbia) received fewer plate appearances this week, but made the most of it. The first baseman slashed .384/.556/.384 on the week, driving in three runs and walking five times against four strikeouts.

On the mound, Ole Iversen (Diablo Valley) highlighted the ‘Dads efforts, allowing just one earned run on six hits. The lefty struck out four and walked one in five innings of work, doing just enough to earn the win in a 3-2 victory over Lincoln on June 22.

Next week, the Crawdads face the Healdsburg Prune Packers (coming off a 5-1 week) in a four-game series from June 29 to July 2 before wrapping up the week against the Santa Rosa A’s on July 3.

— Joe Pohoryles, CCL Reporter

Solano Mudcats: 4-2

Solano’s offensive output got progressively better as the week went on. The Mudcats opened the week with an 11-3 loss to the Packers, and finished with two 12-run games in a row.

Outfielder Kenny DeCelle (Santa Clara) led the offensive output this week, batting 9-for-24 (.375) with one home run, eight RBI and eight runs scored along with one walk and just two strikeouts. His best performance was June 27 against Walnut Creek, where he drove in five runs, including his one dinger in the 12-10 victory.

Infielder Tassos Foster (Willamette) hit for the best average this week, going 8-for-19 (.421) at the plate. The shortstop drove in six runs and scored nine in a standout week.

Relief pitcher David Reckers (Solano JC) starred on the mound, allowing no earned runs in his first two appearances of the week, spanning 4.2 total innings. He allowed two earned runs in his third and final appearance, a save on June 27 against Walnut Creek, but struck out four to bring his total for the week to 10.

The Mudcats are poised for a home-and-home series against the Lincoln Potters to start next week, followed by a three-game series at the Humboldt Crabs from July 2-4.

— Joe Pohoryles

CCL South Division

San Luis Obispo Blues: 5-1

The Blues stayed hot, winning five out of six this week. They only had two games against a South CCL team, beating the Saints 5-1 on Wednesday and shutting out the first place Foresters 5-0 on Thursday. San Luis Obispo is now 13-2 this season, good for first place in the south division over the Foresters.

Vinny Bologna (Fresno State) had a stellar week for the Blues. In the final game against the Humbolt Crabs, Bologna hit a go-ahead 2-run homer in the 8th that put the Blues up 4-3. Ryan Ward (UT San Antonio) pitched the 8th and 9th innings in that game, earning the win and shutting the door on the Crabs comeback attempt. Mason Grotto (Fresno State) continued to be one of the most consistent hitter for the Blues, going 8-18 (.444) with 2 doubles and 5 RBI.

The Blues are set to face off with a slew of CCL South teams this week. They will meet with the Saints and Riptide twice, with one game against the Oaks and Foresters. Coming off a win against the Saints last week, San Luis Obispo will look to take home two more wins against them this week.

— Emily Morton, CCL Reporter

Santa Barbara Foresters: 4-1

The Foresters played five of their six games this week, winning four of those games. The sixth game on their schedule was suspended in the ninth inning due to darkness (the game was tied 5-5). Two wins against OC Riptide and a win against the Barons helped the Foresters CCL record this week.

Andrew Kachel (Fresno State) was on fire this week, going 8-19 (.421) with one homer and 5 RBI, locking down the shortstop position. Jack Riedel (North Carolina) led the team in RBIs this week, tallying 7 RBI on 6 hits, raising his average to .394 on the season.

Nick Nastrini (Univeristy of California Los Angles) had a great night with the Foresters against the OC Riptide. He had nine strikeouts during the five innings he pitched on Saturday, and held on to his perfect 0.00 ERA. Nastrini now has two wins under his belt for the Foresters and has pitched a total of eight innings for them.

The Foresters will start the week looking to tackle the Barons again. They will face the Saints for the first time this summer on Wednesday, and will look to settle the score against the Oaks on Thursday after the darkness called their game last week.

— Emily Morton, CCL Reporter

Conejo Oaks: 3-2

The Conejo Oaks started the week with a bumpy beginning, dropping an 11-4 game to the Foresters on Tuesday. However, the Oaks bounced back to defeat the Barons, 18-10, followed by a rally against the Saints on Thursday and Saturday, snagging both victories by a single run, 5-4 and 4-3.

Reagan Burford (University of Mississippi) set the pace for the Oaks, going 7-16 (.438) on the week. He had a huge game against the Barons, smacking a home run and knocking in 6 in that big win. Brendan Bobo (Cal State Fullerton) also popped off for Conejo. The freshman knocked in six runs on the week, slamming his third home run of the summer against the Barons.

Tobias Plotkin (Glendale Community College) had a spectacular game in relief against the Foresters, despite the Oaks loss. Plotkin threw 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up just 1 hit and striking out 5, improving his ERA to 3.38 on the season.

The Oaks will enter into a series of road games next week, matching up against the Saints, Barons, Foresters and Blues during the week before hosting the Ventura Pirates and the Blues over the weekend.

— Andi Basista, CCL Reporter

Orange County Riptide: 2-4

The Orange County Riptide kicked off the week with back-to-back losses to the Saints and Forester. They bounced back nicely to win two in a row against the Barons and Ventura County Pirates, but lost the final two to the Foresters and Saints again.

Spencer Serven (Texas Rio Grande Valley) kept the Riptide in the game on Sunday night against the Saints, going 2-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Tyler Griggs (Central Arizona College) leads the team with a .429 BA, as he went 4-8 and scored four runs on the week.

Starting pitcher Noah Owen (Washington State) had an impressive start on the mound against the Barons, striking out 10 batters and throwing five scoreless innings. Cade Connolly (Santa Clara) also had a solid outing, striking out five in four strong innings, giving up two runs against the Ventura Pirates.

The Riptide face the 13-2 San Luis Obispo Blues in back to back games this week at OC Great Park, and will face the Saints and Barons on Friday and Saturday to finish out the week.

— Gianna Cefalu, CCL Reporter

Arroyo Seco Saints: 2-4

After starting the week on a high note Tuesday in a 14-4 win over the Riptide, the Saints lost four close games in a row. They averaged 2 and a half runs per game over those 4 games, while their pitchers were dealing trying to keep the team in the game, but were able to finish the week strong with a 4-3 victory over the Riptide.

Despite the poor scoring numbers, infielder Jackson Cobb (Texas Tech) held his own, hitting .333 with a homer and 4 RBI on the week. Jonah Sebring (Johnson County CC) was a much needed spark on offense, knocking in 2 runs and scoring 2 more in only 10 plate appearances. He was flashing the leather all week as well, recording two outfield assists and playing all over the diamond.

Creighton Hansen (Wichita State) had the best start of the week for Arroyo Seco, tossing 4 strong innings on Tuesday while only giving up 1 run and striking out 8. Kyle Sonduck (UT San Antonio) was key out of the bullpen, eating up 5 innings over two games while only giving up 1 hit and striking out 8.

The Saints will start next week with four home games against the Oaks, Foresters, Blues and Riptide looking to get the bats hot. They’ll finish the week down in San Luis Obispo against the Blues on the road on Saturday.

— Lucas Banks, CCL Reporter

Academy Barons: 1-3

The Barons got in the win column for the first time this season on Friday against the Saints, winning 6-2. That would be their only win, as they lost to the Riptide, Oaks and Foresters to close out the week.

Jordan Williams (San Jacinto College North) led the team with 5 hits this week, including a 3-hit game against the Riptide on Thursday. Kordell Brown (San Joaquin Delta College) had a monster game in the Barons 18-10 loss to the Oaks, tallying 4 hits and scoring three runs on the night.

Chazz Martinez (Orange Coast College) had a great start against the Riptide on Thursday, hurling 4 innings and striking out 5 while only giving up one run. Ty Collins (Glendale CC) earned the lone win of the week, tossing 3 strong innings against the Saints and striking out 5.

The Barons will play the Foresters, Oaks, and Riptide next week looking to get back in the win column.

— Lucas Banks, CCL Reporter

COMPTON, CA – The California Collegiate League will host the 2021 CCL Showcase Game presented by ABDG on Wednesday, July 14 at 7 pm at the MLB Academy in Compton, Calif. The annual event is a celebration of the collegiate summer league’s most outstanding players. Sixty of the CCL’s top players—30 from the North Division and 30 from the South Division—will showcase their talents to a national audience on Bally Sports TV (formerly Fox Sports).

California Collegiate League Executive Director, Aaron Milam, is looking forward to the mid-summer event.

“I applaud our Board of Directors, general managers, coaches, and staff for making the CCL such a player-centric league,” said Milam. “The CCL Showcase Game is a great example of this, and everything we do both in and out of season is about putting our players in the best positions for success.”

New CCL commissioner and former MLB coach and front office executive for the Angels, Rick Turner, has first-hand experience working with MLB All-Star games and is excited to feature the league’s best. Turner said the league’s first priority is focusing on the competition on the field.

“Our CCL rosters are filled with players from the most competitive college conferences in the country,” said Turner. “We can’t wait for July 14—it’s going to be a fun night for everyone involved.”

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

Players are nominated by team managers and selected by the CCL Showcase Selection Committee. Managers are chosen by compiling the two best winning percentages in league play as of July 9.

Angels radio broadcaster, Trent Rush, veteran baseball announcer, Wes Clements, and reporter Anna Connelly, will bring you all of the coverage live on Bally Sports. The replay of the game will be broadcast regionally in July and August. Check local listings for viewing instructions.

Showcase Game position players will begin the day at 4 pm PST by participating in a pre-game workout for MLB scouts and college coaches.

Tickets for the 2021 CCL Showcase Game may be purchased at the front gate.

Follow the action on social media using the hashtag #CCLBaseball.

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Contributor // Emily Morton, CCL Reporter

Lucas Banks, CCL Reporter

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The California Collegiate League season is fully underway, with all 10 teams in action this past week. The CCL North division consists of the Healdsburg Prune Packers (10-1), Walnut Creek Crawdads (6-7), Solano Mudcats (3-7), and Lincoln Potters (11-11), who have all been playing non-conference games for over a week. The teams in the CCL South division are the Orange County Riptide (6-2), Arroyo Seco Saints (4-2), Santa Barbara Foresters (4-0), MLB Academy Barons (0-2), San Luis Obispo Blues (8-1), and the Conejo Oaks (3-0), with the Oaks, Barons, and Foresters playing their first games of the summer this week. Here is a review of CCL action from June 14-20 for all 10 clubs.

CCL North Division

(Team, Week Record)

Healdsburg Prune Packers: 6-0

The Packers had a perfect week, putting up double digit runs in every game except their 5-3 victory over the Potters on Thursday. Outfielder Jesse Lopez (CSU Long Beach) was on fire, going 13-24 (.542) with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs, and 10 RBIs. First baseman Blake Burke (Tennessee) was impressive as well, slashing 11 hits in 25 at bats (.440) with 2 home runs and 7 RBI.

Healdsburg had a couple of strong performances on the mound, as junior Shane Omalley (U of Nevada, Reno) tossed 5 shutout innings, striking out 6 in the Packers 13-1 win over the Force. John White (UC Berkeley) hurled 3 strong innings on Wednesday, allowing only 1 base runner and striking out 5.

Healdsburg heads into next week in first place, and will play the Crawdads and Mudcats once, the Potters twice, and the West Coast Kings twice next week.

Lincoln Potters: 2-4

The Potters have played the most games out of anyone in the league, holding a 9-7 entering the week. They started out their season with 8 straight wins, but cooled off quickly and suffered a three-game sweep last weekend against the Blues. Left fielder Quinton Hall (Johnson County CC) has been one of the most consistent hitters on the team, hitting .333 with 4 homers and 24 RBIs including a 2-homer game during Friday’s 22-5 rout of the Gold Sox. Right fielder Jason Brandow (Cal State Fullerton) hit a 3-run homer in the Potters 5-2 win over the Mudcats on Tuesday, and lifted his batting average to .327 on the young season.

Carson Kohls (Penn St.) had a great start for Lincoln during Tuesday’s win, throwing 5 innings and giving up only 1 run on 2 hits. He lowered his season ERA to 3.27, and struck out 4 while earning his first win of the summer.

The Potters will face the Crawdads, Mudcats, and Packers twice each next week and will be looking to get back to their early season successes.

Walnut Creek Crawdads: 1-5

The Crawdads spent the week on the road, splitting a two-game series in San Luis Obispo against the Blues and dropping their next three games against the Saints, Riptide and Oaks. Outfielder Curran Ozawa-Burns (West Valley College), who hit 3 home runs last week, continued his hot streak as he went 6-19 (.316) with 3 doubles and 2 RBIs. Diego Muniz has been smashing the ball, owning a .370 batting average thus far with 7 RBIs.

Left-hander Ole Iversen (Diablo Valley College) tossed a gem on Tuesday, going 5 innings and earning the win while only allowing 1 hit and striking out 5. Foster Gifford (Wichita St.) entered in relief during the loss to Arroyo Seco and didn’t allow a base runner, working 2.1 innings and striking out 3.

Walnut Creek will play the Potters and Mudcats twice each next week, and will face the first-place Packers on Wednesday.

Solano Mudcats: 0-4

The Mudcats lost a close game to the Lincoln Potters on Tuesday, and were off Wednesday and Thursday before losing three straight games to the Blues this weekend. Last Sunday, Solano split a double header, winning a thriller against Walnut Creek 8-7 in the first and falling to the West Coast Kings 15-7 in the second. Mudcats shortstop Tassos Foster (Williamette) has been off to a hot start, (12-35, .375), and had 4 hits in the lead off spot during the victory over Walnut Creek on Sunday. First baseman Justin Banks (St. Mary’s, CA) has been a reliable bat in the middle of the order all season long. He had 3 knocks against the Kings on Sunday, helping raise his average up to .323 (10-31).

Solano will play the Potters three times next week, the Packers once and the Crawdads twice trying to get back into the win column.

CCL South Division

Santa Barbara Foresters: 4-0

The Foresters looked like the defending CCL champs in their first few games of the year, as they demolished the Santa Paula Halos 27-1 on Thursday night and 24-1 on Friday. Projected to be one of the top teams in the league, Santa Barbara had 39 hits in their first two games. Center fielder Kendall Pettis (Oklahoma) went 5-15 (.333) with 7 RBIs hitting lead off for the Foresters, while shortstop Jack Riedel (North Carolina) was 7-15 (.556) with a homer and 3 RBIs hitting right behind him.

Right-hander Chase Farrell (Ventura College) was dominant on Friday, striking out 8 Halos in his 5 innings of work and giving up just the one run. Gabriel Starks (Arkansas Fayettesville) pitched 3 innings on Thursday and 1 on Sunday without allowing a hit, striking out 6.

The Foresters will play the Oaks and Riptide twice each next week, with a game against the Barons and one against the Blues.

Orange County Riptide: 3-0

Orange County took a trip up north to Fairbanks, Alaska to open their season against the Fairbanks Goldpanners, Bercovich Collegiate, and the San Diego Waves. The Riptide played well in what they call the Golden Heart City, winning 4 out of 6 and averaging 11 runs per game. They kept the momentum going once they got back to Southern California, beating the SoCal Sheperds 12-4 on Thursday night.

Averaging just over 10 runs per game and hitting .366 as a team, Orange County has been the best offensive team in the league by far at the start of the season. First baseman Jack-Thomas Wold (UNLV) has been on a tear early on, hitting .393 with 2 homers and 7 RBIs, but doesn’t lead the team in RBIs. Austin Kryszczuk (UNLV) is tied with him at 7 RBIs and hitting .429, but Eric Bigani (UNLV) leads the team with 8 RBIs and is hitting .500 (8-16), including a walk-off single against the Crawdads Friday night.

Left-handed pitcher Spencer Edwards (Cornell) had a stellar start against Bercovich Collegiate, as he pitched 5 innings and allowed only 1 hit, striking out 4.

The Riptide will play the Saints and Foresters twice next week, which should be great match-ups considering the teams’ early records.

Conejo Oaks: 3-0

The Oaks started their season on a high note, winning all three of their games during the week. They beat the Ventura County Pirates 15-2 in the season opener, and took two in a row from the Crawdads last weekend to complete the perfect week. First baseman Brendan Bobo (Cal St. Fullerton) was a hit machine for the Oaks, compiling 8 hits in his 12 at bats, including a 2 homer game against Walnut Creek on Saturday. Right Fielder TJ Foreman was another reliable bat at the top of the order, putting up a .357 average to go along with his 3 RBIs through the first three games.

Conejo will play the Foresters and Saints twice next week, with one game against the Barons and one against the Santa Barbara Grizzlies.

San Luis Obispo Blues: 5-1

San Luis Obispo got off to a great start this season, completing a 3 game sweep of the Lincoln Potters last weekend. They kept it going this week, splitting two games with the Crawdads and sweeping the Mudcats this weekend. They’ve been led on offense by first baseman Trey Clarkson (Utah, .583, 1 HR, 7 RBI) and third baseman Mason Grotto (Fresno State, .441, 1 HR, 15 RBI). Hitting consistently in the middle of the order, these two guys have been great run producers early in the season. Catcher Austin Schell (Cal St. Fullerton) is right up there with them, hitting .467 with a home run and 10 RBIs.

Lefty Austin Teixeira (Hawaii) was dealing on Friday, finishing 4 innings and allowing only 1 base runner while striking out 4. Matthew Sox (Utah) continued his hot start to the season, pitching 4 shutout innings on Thursday against the Barons, giving up 1 hit and striking out 6.

The Blues will play the Saints and the Foresters once next week before starting a three-game series against the Humboldt Crabs on Friday.

Arroyo Seco Saints: 3-2

Starting their season with a 12-3 win over the San Diego Force on Saturday, the Saints bats stayed hot throughout the week, helping them win their first three games of the week. Jag Burden (UC Berkeley) has been the most consistent starter for the Saints, recording a hit in each contest to claim a .316 batting average with 3 RBIs. Catcher Bo Willis (Weatherford College) has swung the bat well early on as he is hitting .313, with Brandon Bohning (Cal State Northridge) not far behind at .278. Bohning has been an on-base machine, sporting a .435 on-base percentage and leading the team with 3 hit-by-pitches.

Southpaw Merek Sears (Washington State) had one of the best pitching performances for the Saints on Wednesday, tossing 5 innings and earning the win while allowing only one unearned run. Daniel Ritcheson (San Diego St.) has been nasty in the later innings, as he’s struckout 8 batters in his 3 innings of work so far this season.

The Saints will play the Riptide and the Oaks twice, with a game against the Blues and one against the Barons as well.

Academy Barons: 0-2

The Barons only had two games this week, losing 8-0 to San Luis Obispo on Thursday in their home opener and dropping an 11-1 contest to the Foresters on Sunday. They didn’t get much going against Santa Barbara, but Julian Boyd (Golden West College) went yard for the Barons first home run of the year. Shortstop Nicolas Malbrough (Mission College) had the only two hits for the Barons (two doubles) in the loss to the Blues on Thursday. Andy Hurtado (Cerritos College) pitched two shutout innings without allowing a hit on Sunday, and he’ll look to lead the way for the pitching staff going into next week.

The Barons will play four different teams next week, starting off with a game against the Oaks on Wednesday, followed by the Riptide, Saints, and Foresters.

The pinnacle of college baseball can be summed up in one word — Omaha. Look for CCL players and alumni competing in the 2021 NCAA College World Series in pursuit of college baseball’s top prize.

#	College	First Name	Last Name	CCL Team	CCL Player/Alumni
1	Arizona	Daniel	Susac	Lincoln Potters	Alumni
2		Tanner	O’Tremba	Santa Barbara Foresters/Lincoln Potters	2021/Alumni
3		TJ	Nichols	Lincoln Potters	Alumni
4		Tony	Bullard	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
5		Tyler	Casagrande	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
6		Branden	Boissiere	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
7		Ian	Churchill	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
8		Ryan	Holgate	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
9	Stanford	Eddie	Park	Lincoln Potters	Alumni
10		Grant	Burton	Lincoln Potters	Alumni
11		Cody	Jensen	Lincoln Potters	Alumni
12		Austin	Kretzschmar	San Luis Obispo Blues	2021
13		Grant	Burton	San Luis Obispo Blues	2021
14		Vincent	Martinez	San Luis Obispo Blues	2021
15	Tennessee	Pete	Derkay	Arroyo Seco Saints	Alumni
16		Evan	Russell	Arroyo Seco Saints	Alumni
17		Luc	Lipcius	Arroyo Seco Saints	Alumni
18		Christian	Scott	Arroyo Seco Saints	Alumni
19		Max	Ferguson	Orange County Riptide	Alumni
20		Trey	Lipscomb	Orange County Riptide	Alumni
21		Charez	Butcher	Orange County Riptide	2021
22		Kyle	Booker	Orange County Riptide	2021
23		Charlie	Taylor	Orange County Riptide	2021
24		Connor	Pavolony	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
25		Christian	Delashmit	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
26		Blade	Tidwell	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
27	Texas	Cole	Quintanilla	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
28		Eric	Kennedy	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
29		Dylan	Campbell	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
30		Aaron	Nixon	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
31		Justin	Eckhardt	Santa Barbara Foresters	2021
32		Tanner	Witt	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni
33	Vanderbilt	Jayson	Gonzalez	Arroyo Seco Saints	Alumni
34		Spencer	Jones	Santa Barbara Foresters	Alumni

[+Download Release]

LOS ANGELES, CA – The California Collegiate League (CCL) is pleased to announce that Rick Turner, a longtime executive with Angels Baseball and former player and coach for the California Angels, has been selected as its new commissioner. The CCL’s Board of Directors unanimously approved Turner’s hiring at a February league meeting.

The Angels selected Turner in the 9th Round of the 1981 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft after an All-American catching career at UC Riverside. Turner spent three seasons in the Halos’ farm system, including one year in the Idaho Falls Rookie League under current Angels Manager Joe Maddon.

Turner would become the Angels bullpen catcher, followed by a two-year stint on Manager Buck Rodgers’ coaching staff.

Turner turned his sights to working in the front office after his playing career concluded. Since 2006, Turner has held national and regional corporate account executive positions with the Angels. Turner was responsible for cultivating partnerships with the team’s corporate sponsors and representing the Angels in the community during his 15-year tenure.

Turner proved to be a valuable asset to the franchise and left a lasting impression on some of baseball’s biggest names. The current president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and former vice president of communications for the Angels, Tim Mead, shared this:

“I would like to extend congratulations to everyone involved in the selection of Rick as commissioner of the California Collegiate League. I cannot think of a more outstanding individual to assume the responsibilities of this important role. In Rick, the CCL has found a gentleman whose passion for the game, the well-being of others, and overall respect towards those he communicates with, are among just a few of his outstanding qualities. Rick is an open-minded thinker who is detail-oriented in the present, but always with one eye on a vision of progression for the future. In our time together with the Angels, Rick was widely respected both inside and outside of the organization for his dedication, loyalty, business acumen, and communication skills. He is a true baseball man who has always maintained an enviable position of balance in his professional and personal life. I know how excited he is to join the CCL, and I also know many throughout the baseball community are going to be equally as excited for Rick.”

Turner will serve as the CCL’s chief administrative officer and be responsible for strengthening the league’s strategic partnerships. Turner will report to CCL Executive Director Aaron Milam:

“The CCL is a player-centric league and our primary focus is on their experience and development. Throughout the interview and hiring process, it was apparent that this commitment was paramount to Rick. I am confident our players, teams, and business partners will all benefit from Rick joining the CCL, and I am looking forward to leading this organization with him.”

Mike Scioscia, a three-time World Series Champion and head of the CCL’s Conejo Oaks, had this to say about Turner:

“We are very excited about the addition of Rick Turner to our CCL family. Our league has grown to be one of the best summer leagues in the country. Rick’s passion for baseball and his vast experience will help bring our league to an even higher level.”

Bill Pintard is a former Angels scout, current Yankees scout, and longtime head of the CCL’s nationally-ranked Santa Barbara Foresters:

“We are thrilled with the CCL’s choice of Rick Turner as the new commissioner of our league. His wealth of knowledge of our great game is unparalleled. His experiences as a professional player and as a member of the front office gives him a perspective that few have. This, coupled with his work ethic and communication skills, makes him an ideal choice. I, along with other league members, certainly look forward to working with him.”

Darrell Miller is a former MLB player and current vice president for youth and facility development for the Office of the Commissioner:

“I have known Rick Turner for more than 40 years. I am particularly excited to welcome Rick as the new commissioner of the California Collegiate League. Rick and I played professional baseball with the California Angels in the 1980’s and worked closely together when Rick was hired to be an MLB coach in the 1990’s. His ability to transition from a professional baseball player to MLB coach to a front office executive is a testament to his versatility. He values relationships and possesses a deep respect for the game of baseball. Rick’s leadership skills will be valuable to the CCL and to the players we serve.”

The CCL conducted a national search for the commissioner position that yielded nearly 100 applicants. A six-member committee reduced the candidate pool to four finalists. Turner was selected after multiple rounds of interviews.

“I am honored and excited to join the prestigious CCL. I am proudly following in the footsteps of dedicated individuals committed to providing opportunities for college players to hone, enhance, and showcase their talents. I am committed to providing a first-rate experience for families and fans, as well as community partners.”

Born and raised in Orange, Calif., Turner is married to his wife, Karen, and has three children.

About

Founded in 1993, the California Collegiate League is one of America’s premier college summer baseball destinations. Ten teams canvas the golden state of California. Each year, top college baseball players compete for the MLB Academy Barons, Arroyo Seco Saints, Conejo Oaks, Healdsburg Prune Packers, Lincoln Potters, Orange County Riptide, San Luis Obispo Blues, Santa Barbara Foresters, Solano Mudcats, and Walnut Creek Crawdads. Follow the CCL on Twitter.

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The OC Riptide and the UNLV Rebels have a strong connection. Four current Rebels are on the roster for the ‘Tide in 2021, and all four have the potential to make huge impacts. Junior catcher Eric Bigani hit .317 during the regular season, sophomore infielder and former freshman All-American Edarian Williams hit .360, and the versatile freshman Austin Kryszczuk finished with a .361 batting average and 1.012 OPS. Despite these big numbers, nobody on UNLV, and maybe not the Mountain West Conference, had as great a season as first baseman and designated hitter Jack-Thomas Wold.

All four of these future Riptide helped UNLV become the Mountain West Conference’s best offensive team in 2021, leading the Mountain West in several categories including team batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.539), and on-base percentage (.408 ). They couldn’t have done it without the help of Wold and his eye-popping numbers.

His .429 batting average was fourth-best in the country, and his sizzling 1.284 OPS was good enough to be third-best nationally. Not only did he lead the team in virtually all other offensive categories, he was among the leaders in the conference in most areas as well, including a Mountain West-leading 12 home runs and finished in the top ten in hits, doubles, and RBI.

With numbers like these, it’s no surprise there was no shortage of big games from the Henderson, Nev. native. He had 19 multi-hit games this season, including a five-hit effort against San Diego State on May 15 where he hit three doubles and knocked in five runs. He had four-hit games on three other occasions as well. He finished the regular season on a streak of 19 straight games of reaching base, and earning conference player of the week honors on May 17.

After the dust settles on the 2021 collegiate season, Wold will be traveling across state lines to Orange County where he hopes to continue his offensive hot streak. Riptide fans will get the chance to see one of baseball’s top prospects wearing blue and orange all summer long. Stay up to date with the heavy-hitting Rebel here, and all things Riptide at https://ocriptide.com.

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#CCLBaseball

The Santa Barbara Foresters, a perennial contender for the CCL championship and winners of eight NBC World Series titles, have become known for their dominance on the field. One could point to any number of reasons for the Forester’s success–including a long line of talented infielders who have worn the Santa Barbara uniform. Andrew Kachel, a native of Gilroy, Calif., and infielder for the Fresno State Bulldogs might be next. Kachel has played all over the infield during his career, but has spent the majority of his 2021 campaign at third base for Fresno State, even after earning First-Team All-Mountain West honors at second base as a freshman just a year ago. He was red-hot at the plate before the 2020 season ended prematurely, and even had a two-home run, five RBI game against Cal Poly on February 25.

There was no learning curve when he made the switch across the infield. Kachel, who is currently hitting .314, has 16 multi-hit games so far in 2021. He started the month of May off on the right foot, going eight for 15 in a three-game set against New Mexico on May 1-3, scoring five runs and knocking in three. Most recently, in a weeknight game against the USC Trojans, Kachel turned in a two-hit performance that included a huge three-run home run late in the game, and helped propel the Bulldogs to a 13-10 victory.

Kachel will join a long list of elite infielders that have called Santa Barabra their summer home in the past. Last year, they enjoyed seeing infielders Matt McLain and Jace Jung hit .436 and .404 respectively in 30 games. It doesn’t stop there: the ‘Sters boast several alumni infielders in the professional ranks, like the Detroit Tigers’ Jordy Mercer and the New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil. If they haven’t already, professional scouts will get a great opportunity to see Kachel play as a part of one of the most respected collegiate summer organizations in the nation. Follow along with the future Forester here, and stay up-to-date with all things Foresters at sbforesters.org.

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#CCLBaseball

Northern California baseball fans are proud of their rich baseball history, and have no shortage of local standouts to cheer on all over the nation. Homegrown talent populates all levels of baseball, from the college ranks to the Major Leagues, and have included everyone from former MVPs like Dustin Pedroia, to up-and-comers like Rhys Hoskins and Rowdy Tellez. Garret Forrester hopes to be next on that list.

Local fans might remember Forrester from his days at Bella Vista High School in his hometown of Fair Oaks. His torrid junior year in 2019 was enough to make an impression on anyone: he batted .500 on the year with 15 doubles to go along with two home runs, good enough to finish with a 1.406 OPS and conference offensive player of the year honors. The sky was the limit in 2020 when the pandemic put a hold on baseball in the area, and his senior season was cut short.

Forrester was undeterred: his impressive resume was good enough to earn him a spot on the Oregon State baseball team, which happened to be his dream school. He has enjoyed immediate success on the field as a freshman competing with a PAC-12 powerhouse in OSU–winners of three College World Series titles in 15 years.

Recruited as a third baseman and catcher, Forrester has spent the majority of his innings in 2021 holding down first base and batting cleanup for Oregon State, earning his spot as one of the top hitters on the squad. He is batting .303 on the year, is third on the team with a .947 OPS and second with six home runs for the Beavers, who are currently 13-8 and just 1-1/2 games back in the PAC-12 with three weeks left in the season.

Forrester will be headed back home this summer, and suit up for the Lincoln Potters, who play their home games just 20 minutes from where he went to high school. Lucky for Potters fans, as they will get another chance to see a local standout all summer at McBean Stadium.

Follow along with the future Potter here, and stay up-to-date with all things Potters at lincolnpotters.com.

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#CCLBaseball

LOS ANGELES, CA – The California Collegiate League (CCL) announced the 2021 league schedule today. After suspending the 2020 season in response to the global pandemic, the CCL makes a much-anticipated return to league competition in 2021 beginning in the Northern Division on Tuesday, June 8. The Walnut Creek Crawdads host the Lincoln Potters at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. The Southern Division squares-off on Thursday, June 17. The San Luis Obispo Blues visit the MLB Academy Barons at Major League’s Baseball Youth Academy in Compton, Calif.

[ + View the 2021 CCL Master Schedule ]

Executive Director Aaron Milam is excited for the league’s teams to return to the field. “Last year was unprecedented and I am proud of how our clubs responded to the challenges presented by the pandemic. We did everything in our power as a league to carry out our season. The health and safety of our players, coaches, staff, and volunteers is our first priority and collectively we made the only decision possible, which was to suspend the 2020 league season. I’m looking forward to seeing both familiar and new faces out on the fields this summer and am excited to see the high level of CCL baseball played again in 2021.”

Moving forward, new CCL Commissioner and former MLB executive with the Angels, Rick Turner, is looking forward to the upcoming summer campaign. “We cannot wait to host top college players from around the country,” said Turner. “Since last August our clubs have been diligently preparing to return to the field. The 2021 season is poised to the be the league’s best.”

The CCL features 10 organizations from Orange County to Napa Valley including the Santa Barbara Foresters and Healdsburg Prune Packers, two nationally-ranked programs.

CCL Northern Division: Healdsburg Prune Packers, Lincoln Potters, Solano Mudcats, Walnut Creek Crawdads

CCL Southern Division: MLB Academy Barons, Arroyo Seco Saints, Conejo Oaks, Orange County Riptide, San Luis Obispo Blues, Santa Barbara Foresters

For first time in years, all 10 clubs from both divisions will play a uniform amount of league games (30). Most teams will play 40-50 games overall; teams’ non-league schedules will be released at a later date.

Bally Sports will televise the mid-season 2021 CCL Showcase Game on Wednesday July 14, and end-of-the-year finale, the 2021 CCL State Championship Tournament, is slated for August 4-6.

The CCL welcomes two new league members: the Lincoln Potters, based in Lincoln, Calif., and the Solano Mudcats, based in the city of Vacaville. The Walnut Creek Crawdads return to the CCL after last making an appearance in 2016.

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