Fit To Be Tied: Both SCC Baseball Divisions End In Co-Champions
The South Coast Conference North and South Division baseball races came down to the final day and when the dust cleared four champions emerged with Mt. San Antonio and Pasadena City Colleges sharing the North title and El Camino and Long Beach City finishing as co-champions of the South Division.
It was the first time in the three years of separate divisions that there were co-champs in each of the North and South.
In the North, Mt. San Antonio used a 3-run homer in the top of the eighth inning by shortstop Michael Sandoval to beat East Los Angeles, 4-2, in the conference finale on April 26. PCC had clinched its crown first a day earlier in an 9-3 win at Cerritos. The teams finished with 14-8 conference records. For Mt. SAC, it was the program's second straight title and sixth in its SCC history. The Lancers won their second SCC title in three years after not winning one ever until 2017 (joined conference in 1988).
In the South finale, El Camino broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth with two runs to beat LA Harbor, 4-2. Warriors reliever Spencer Long fired two perfect innings for the win that coupled with an upset victory by Compton over Long Beach, 7-5, created a tie for first place. Both teams shared the title with outstanding 17-5 SCC records.
For El Camino, it was the program's fifth conference title in baseball and second in the last two years. Long Beach picked up its fifth championship in the last six seasons and ninth in its SCC history.
ALL-SOUTH COAST CONFERENCE
The 2019 All-South Coast Conference teams were selected on Sunday at Rio Hondo College. In the North, Pasadena centerfielder Gabriel Arellano and Mt. SAC's Sandoval were named Co-MVP while Lancers righthander Gordon Ingebritson was selected the Pitcher of the Year. Mt. SAC head coach John Knott was chosen Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
The South featured Long Beach sweeping the two big awards with second baseman Raul Gonzalez, who batted .400 in conference play, being named MVP while Vikings righty Garrett Rennie was the Pitcher of the Year. El Camino head coach Nate Fernley earned Coach of the Year.