Mt. SAC Sports Teams Preview For Return for SCC
The CCCAA recently announced that the 2021-2022 sports season should be a return to a normal setting as far as schedules for fall, winter-spring and spring sports teams and thus a return to South Coast Conference action after the halt to all SCC sports contests due to the COVID-19 pandemic going back to March, 2020. Mt. San Antonio College is the only SCC member school currently playing a condensed spring sports 2021 season as an independent.
Expectations are that the South Coast Conference will officially return to action later this September, 2021.
Here is an update of the Mounties in different sports (only those that the SCC normally host):
SOFTBALL
The Mounties are 8-4 overall and on a 5-game winning streak following an 8-5 win over Orange Coast on May 4. Freshman centerfielder Emily Barba was batting .353 overall with nine RBI as one of Mt. SAC's standouts. Sophomore pitcher Annalisa Panuco (4-3) has a 1.41 ERA in 44.2 innings while striking out 46 batters.
BASEBALL
Playing exclusively Orange Empire Conference teams as a replacement for Riverside City College, a school that chose to opt out of spring sports, Mt. San Antonio has an 8-8 overall record. The Mounties split a 4-game series May 4-7 with 2019 state champ Orange Coast. Sophomore leftfielder Caleb Ellis is batting a team-best .342 with nine RBI while freshman third baseman Cole Jordan is hitting .283 while leading the squad in RBI (13) and stolen bases (eight). Frosh reliever Justin Estrada has been outstanding with a 2-0 mound record, just seven hits allowed in 9.2 innings and 13 strikeouts.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Despite a 1-5 record, the Mounties have seen strong play out of its #4 freshmen pair of Bristol Christelman and Elizabeth Thomas, who have won four straight v. their opponents and helped the team score their only team win thus far--3-2 over Bakersfield on April 30.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING
The Mounties men were excited about returning to the pool, especially sophomore Michael Yeh who won four events in a double-dual meet victory over both Santa Monica and Bakersfield. Yeh swam to first place finishes in the 100-, 200- and 400-yard individual medley races and the 100 backstroke. He also was second in the 200 backstroke and part of the team's second-place 400 free relay. The Mt. SAC women split their double dual, defeating Santa Monica and losing to Bakersfield. Sophomore Valerie Chen highlighted the meet, scoring wins in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events and the 50 butterfly. She also swam as part of the winning 200 freestyle relay squad.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Mt. SAC held a 3-3 record and recently tallied a 6-3 victory over Mt. San Jacinto on April 29. Sophomore #4 player Cassandra Paulson picked up a singles win and a doubles victory with teammate Alejandra Vasquez.