By CCL Reporters Sean Brennan, Sam Nute, and Dylan Wickman
July 31, 2023 // Updated as of 12 a.m.
2023 CCL 30 POSTSEASON
Today, the 2023 California Collegiate League regular season will come to an end, and the landscape of the CCL 30 Postseason – the capstone of the league’s 30th year – will be solidified. A new format will be introduced for this summer’s playoffs, replacing the double-elimination, round-robin layout used for the past two seasons, as five squads will vie to dethrone the two-time defending champion Healdsburg Prune Packers.
The top three seeds based on league record in both the CCL North and South Divisions qualify for the tournament and a chance to reach the CCL 30 State Championship, a best two-out-of-three series taking place from Friday to Sunday, August 4-6. A coin flip at an offseason league meeting determined that the CCL South Division will host the State Championship this year, with the site rotating back and forth between divisions in subsequent years.
Each division’s second and third-ranked teams will kick off the postseason facing off in the single-elimination CCL Wild Card Round on Tuesday, August 1. The winner of the two Wild Card games will then take on their respective division’s first-place team on Wednesday, August 2 for a chance at the CCL crown.
Sitting at 26-9, the Healdsburg Prune Packers are the current host for the No. 1 seed in the North Division and have clinched a postseason berth. After temporarily ceding first place to the Crawdads, Healdsburg took control of the division’s top spot on July 28 and clinched the No. 1 seed with a Crawdads loss on Jul. 31.
However, the aforementioned Walnut Creek Crawdads (25-9) enter the postseason on the heels of an exceptional regular season that saw them challenge the Pack for the North Division’s No. 1 spot until the very end. Walnut Creek’s quest for the CCL 30 State Championship begins when it hosts the CCL 30 Wild Card Round on August 1.
The Crawdads’ opponent in the Wild Card Round is the Lincoln Potters, who clinched the third and final playoff spot in the North Division with a win on July 28. With a league record of 20-15, the Potters have had an up-and-down time in 2023, but have gone 8-3 in their last 12 contests – a stretch that includes series victories over Healdsburg and Walnut Creek.
Rounding out the North are the Sonoma Stompers and Solano Mudcats, who have both been officially eliminated.
Despite remaining unclear until the last minute, the CCL South Division playoff picture is finally solidified. The second-ranked Arroyo Seco Saints have claimed the South’s No. 1 spot with a 21-14 mark, as the division-winning Santa Barbara Foresters (23-10) have elected to compete in NBC World Series, a tournament they have won 10 times. Locked into the No. 2 slot is the Orange County Riptide, who will host the CCL 30 Wild Card Round.
With a win over the MLB Youth Academy Barons on Jul. 30 – the last day of the regular season – the Conejo Oaks (16-19) have clinched the third and final CCL 30 Postseason berth in the South. As a result, the San Luis Obispo Blues (15-20) have been officially eliminated.
Rounding out the division are the Barons, who are 8-26 in league play and have won four of their last five games. As of July 26, the Academy is officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Follow all the action as the quest for the CCL 30 State Championship heats up.
By CCL Reporter Sam Nute
(COMPTON, CA) – On Wednesday, July 12, the CCL’s top talent across the league gathered at the MLB Youth Academy to celebrate the annual CCL Showcase Game. This year’s contest dubbed the CCL 30 Showcase Game honoring the league’s 30th season was broadcasted live on eight Bally Sports’ regional networks across the country.
Sonoma Stompers outfielder Noah Rabin (Illinois State) took home Offensive Player of the Game honors thanks to his monster two-run home run in the fifth inning. On the mound, Santa Barbara Foresters’ right-handed pitcher Robert Cranz set the tone for the South, striking out three in the first inning earning Pitcher of the Game. Healdsburg Prune Packer Damian Bravo (Texas Tech) excelled in the field racking up four putouts en route to the Defensive Player of the Game award.
Cranz shut down the North in the top of the first inning following by an equally impressive performance from North starting pitcher, Prune Packer Myles Patton (Long Beach State).
The offensive would pick-up in the second. An RBI single from Walnut Creek Crawdad Matt King (UTSA) started things off and was soon followed by a throwing error, bringing in the North’s second run.
Throughout the game, each team seemed to answer whenever the other scored. The South did just that with a run in the second frame before taking the lead in the third, completing the game’s first comeback. MLB Youth Academy Barons second baseman Kamau Neighbors (Cal State Northridge) – who was quick on the base paths all night – tied the game at two, scoring from first on a double by Foresters catcher John Newman. The South then took the lead on a passed ball to enter the fourth up 3-2.
The pendulum would swing once again in the fifth inning as the North tied the game on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Stompers catcher Omar Gastelum (San Jose State). With two outs on the board, Rabin would then crushed a 1-1 pitch, sending the game’s lone homer over the right-field wall and giving a 5-3 lead to the North.
It appeared the North might have put the game away when they extended their lead to 7-3 in the top of the seventh, but the South would have one more comeback left in them. After responding with two runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead back to just two, the South exploded for four more in the bottom of the eighth, taking an 8-7 lead on a bloop two-RBI single from Foresters outfielder Will Rogers (Michigan). A sacrifice fly from Conejo Oaks catcher Brendan Durfee would pad the South’s lead, making the score 9-7 heading into the game’s final inning.
Durfee’s insurance run would prove crucial as the North would attempt one more rally, scoring a run in the top of the ninth and advancing the tying run in scoring position. However, the South closed it out, stranding the runner on second to seal a 9-8 CCL 30 Showcase Game victory.
The game was not the only event taking place at the MLB Youth Academy on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the CCL hosted a combine for scouts and college coaches, USA Baseball Player Development Pipeline testing, and its inaugural Home Run Derby presented by Walter Bat Company. Six sluggers from across the league participated in a single-elimination tournament of three, three-minute rounds.
The objective? Hit as many home runs as possible, and that they did. In the championship round, it was No. 5-seeded shortstop Dominic Hellman (Oregon) from the Foresters and No. 6-seeded catcher Brendan Durfee (Cal Lutheran) from the Oaks facing off.
Durfee topped Hellman’s six home runs with seven of his own, making him the Walter Bat Company 2023 CCL 30 Showcase Game Home Run Derby Champion.
Next up for the league is chase to the 2023 CCL State Championship, August 1-6. Featuring an updated postseason format, the CCL’s 11 teams will vie for a spot in a best two-out-of-three game series Friday to Sunday, August 4-6.
Following a coin flip at a regular offseason league meeting, the South Division representative will serve as the State Championship host this year. The North Division will host next year and rotate back and forth between Northern and Southern California in subsequent years.
To get to the State Championship, the CCL’s second and third place teams from each division, North and South, will take part in the 2023 CCL Division Wild Card Round on Tuesday, August 1. The winners of these two Wild Card games will then play the first-place teams in their respective divisions on Wednesday, August 2 for a chance at taking home the CCL’s 2023 State title.
By CCL Reporters Sean Brennan, Sam Nute, and Dylan Wickman
(LOS ANGELES, CA) – The 2023 NCAA Super Regionals wrapped up with multiple CCL alumni putting on impressive performances. Now, with the beginning of the 2023 NCAA College World Series, the premier event in college baseball has arrived. The CCL has 27 current players or alumni competing on four of eight teams that are battling it out in Omaha. Check out standout performers from the Super Regionals and a complete list of the CCL members competing to win college baseball’s most coveted prize.
We've seen him do that a few times💪
— California Collegiate League (@CCL_Baseball) June 11, 2023
Prepped in the CCL: @PrunePackers alumni @blakeburke_ hits one nearly 480 feet to get Tennessee back within one. 💣 https://t.co/LG7U7GQZ4v
🚨 COWLEY CALLS GAME 🚨
— California Collegiate League (@CCL_Baseball) June 10, 2023
Prepped in the CCL: @ArroyoSecoCCL alum Drew Cowley completes the largest comeback in NCAA Super Regional history as @OregonBaseball erases an eight-run deficit 🦆#CCL30Years #CCLBaseball #SaintsOfSummer #RoadToOmaha #GoDucks https://t.co/0epi1G068c
Tie ballgame 💪
— California Collegiate League (@CCL_Baseball) June 13, 2023
Prepped in the CCL: @SBForesters alum Jack O'Dowd brings @TexasBaseball all the way back, tying Game 3 of the Stanford Super Regional with a bases-clearing double!#CCL30Years #CCLBaseball #steritup #RoadToOmaha #HookEm https://t.co/z4BVF73CZK
Prepped in the CCL 🙌@SBForesters #CCL30Years #CCLBaseball https://t.co/5J2ryqy8SJ
— California Collegiate League (@CCL_Baseball) June 10, 2023
Hey, we know this guy… 💪
— California Collegiate League (@CCL_Baseball) June 11, 2023
Prepped in the CCL: Former @PrunePackers pitcher @samstout15_ holds Indiana State to three runs in a 5.1-inning start, sending @TCU_Baseball to a @CWSOmaha berth!#CCL30Years #CCLBaseball #gopack #RoadToOmaha #FrogballUSA https://t.co/kV21ZGdwQC
(LOS ANGELES, CA)
CCL CELEBRATES 30 YEARS
To kick-off its 30th year, the California Collegiate League released its slate of games for 2023 summer season. All CCL teams will play 35 league games plus select non-league matchups.
2023 CCL POSTSEAON
New for the 2023 summer season will be an updated postseason format. The CCL’s 11 teams will vie for a spot in the 2023 CCL State Championship, a best two-out-of-three game series Friday to Sunday, August 4-6.
Following a coin flip at a regular offseason league meeting, the South Division representative will serve as the State Championship host this year. The North Division will host next year and rotate back and forth between Northern and Southern California in subsequent years.
To get to the State Championship, the CCL’s second and third place teams from each division, North and South, will take part in the 2023 CCL Division Wild Card Round on Tuesday, August 1.
The winners of these two Wild Card games will then play the first-place teams in their respective divisions on Wednesday, August 2 for a chance at taking home the CCL’s 2023 State title.
2023 CCL SHOWCASE GAME
The 2023 CCL Showcase Game will be held at Major League’s Baseball Youth Academy on Wednesday July 12. Close to 60 of the CCL’s best players will be in attendance showing off their skills and talents.
NEW CCL COMMISSIONER
Executive Director, Aaron Milam, announced the addition Dr. Michael J. Simpson as new commissioner earlier this month.
“I am looking forward to celebrating the 30th year of the CCL,” said Simpson. “Collectively we will have an opportunity to reflect on the league’s historic accomplishments and anticipate the excitement of a new season. This summer our teams, players, partners, fans and communities can expect to enjoy an entertaining time at the ballpark and an exhilarating brand of baseball.”
#CCL30Years & #CCLBaseball
Follow all of the action all summer long using the hashtags #CCL30Years and #CCLBaseball.