Close But No Cigar for El Camino Baseball, Settles for State Runner-up

It started with a promotion video about its goal to reach Fresno, went on to enduring a team tragedy, was highlighted by comebacks for the South Coast Conference South Division co-title and an exciting series win at the Super Regionals, but when it was all said and done the 2019 baseball season ended just a little short of a state championship for the El Camino College baseball team.

Despite leading the state in victories at 40-9, ECC lost a see-saw state tournament finals game v. Orange Coast, 8-7, and settled for CCCAA state runner-up. The Warriors were ranked No. 2 as well in the Final CCCSIA State Baseball Top 20 Rankings. 

In the exciting finale, the Warriors rallied from 4-0 down to take a 6-5 lead, but OCC used Joey Fregosi's bases-loaded infield single to win it. A controversial foul ball call struck by El Camino on a diving attempt down the right field line kept the score at 7-7 in the eighth. OCC twice scored seven or more runs on El Camino on the day (a 7-5 win in the early game), a rarity this season for ECC's state-leading in ERA pitching staff. ECC had allowed seven runs only three other times all season.

Maybe the highlight of the '19 postseason for ECC was Spencer Long crushing a 2-run, walk-off homer in the ninth to erase a Cypress rally of four runs in the top of the inning as the Warriors won 8-7 to advance from the Super Regionals, two games-to-one.

Mt. San Antonio College (26-20), the SCC North co-champs, advanced as far as the Sectionals and used a home #8 seed to first knock off Santa Ana in a tough 3-game set, then upset third seed Riverside City in a Super Regionals sweep. It took state champ and a third Orange Empire Conference opponent in OCC to end the Mt. SAC run in two games. The Mounties, coached by John Knott, finished No. 6 on the state rankings. Coach Casey Crook's Long Beach City College Vikings grabbed the final #15 state rating.  LBCC got past Ventura in three games and then were swept by Orange Coast in the SR round. The Vikings were 28-12 v. the rest of the state, but 0-5 v. the state champs this season.

Pasadena City (25-15), a 15th seed and other SCC North co-champs, made it past the Play-In game in a win over Citrus before being eliminated by El Camino in Round 1. 

El Camino head coach Nate Fernley was selected State SoCal Coach of the Year while the SCC had eight players named to the elite All-State Team. Three of them were PCC Lancers in centerfielder Gabriel Arellano (led state in hits) and first baseman Marco Martinez, and pitcher Gordon Ingebritson. El Camino pitching ace Jimmy Galicia was named as well as three Long Beach City players in SCC South Pitcher of the Year Garrett Rennie, shortstop Raul Gonzalez and reliever Trevor Sutt.