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Posted: Feb 13, 2020

South Coast Baseball Wide Open Race In 2020

Mt. San Antonio is one of the state's top teams in the early going of the 2020 baseball season.
Mt. San Antonio is one of the state's top teams in the early going of the 2020 baseball season.

South Coast Conference baseball reached a new level of parity last year with double SCC champions in each of the North and South Divisions. But with Chaffey College realigned into the new Inland Empire Athletic Conference, the SCC returns to a 9-team, one title league in 2020. That makes the 24-game conference schedule a more challenging task for member teams, meaning a number of squads will be in the hunt for the SCC title. 

The pre-season SoCal Top 15 coaches poll included four South Coast teams in No. 3 El Camino, No. 8 Mt. San Antonio, No. 11 Long Beach City and No. 15 Pasadena City. 

Mt. San Antonio, a Co-North Division champion last year, is off to a 9-1 start in pre-conference play. The Mounties have both strong hitting, averaging a state No. 2 best 9.5 runs per game, and outstanding pitching, featuring the state's No. 2 lowest ERA team at a 1.82 clip. Mt. SAC pitchers have thrown 32 more innings than hits allowed. The Mounties are also tied for the state lead in triples (seven) and second in doubles (32). Third baseman-outfielder Cole Jordan has swung a hot bat with a .353 average to go with eight doubles, a home run, and 11 RBI. On the mound, lefty Michael Ortega is 3-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings of work. 

Pasadena, the other North Co-champ, is 5-5 but also is led by a hard-hitting offense. The Lancers are No. 3 in state run production at 9.3 runs a game and lead the state in walks drawn with 70. Returning All-American corner infielder Marco Martinez  is an offensive machine as he leads the state in RBI with 17, in walks with 15, and his .625 on-base percentage is #2 in the state. He is tied for the conference lead in batting average at .429 through games of Feb. 12. Lefty designated hitter Thomas Kolling is another slugger at .395, two home runs and 14 RBI (second in the SCC).

Long Beach, one of the '19 Co-South Division champs, began the year at 8-2 and have a bevy of impressive victories, including a pair of wins v. defending CCCAA state champ Orange Coast, and single triumphs over state powers Cypress and San Joaquin Delta. The Vikings are 6-0 against Orange Empire Conference teams. LBCC is paced by Matthew Pinal is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 19 innings and centerfielder Carter White, a leading hitter with a .409 average, two triples, eight RBI and is tied for the conference lead in overall hits with 18.

El Camino, last year's state runner-up and co-SCC South title holder, is 5-4. The Warriors are led by third baseman Diego Alarcon with a .429 average, 18 hits, two home runs and nine RBI and pitcher Jimmy Galicia, 2-1 with a state-leading 27 innings as well as a state #2 strikeout total of 28.

Cerritos, under a new interim head coach Vic Buttler with help from new bench coach and former MLB outfielder Coco Crisp, has emerged as a potential contender with a 7-game win streak to start the season (now 7-2). The Falcons are a threat on the basepaths with state-leader and leftfielder Shea Estrin (11 stolen bases) and utility player Buck Anderson (fifth in state with nine steals, batting .303). Lefty pitcher David Hays is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 19 innings. 

Rio Hondo is recoving from a tough season in 2019, but the Roadrunners are 5-4 to open this season. Rio Hondo is led thus far by shortstop Charles Sousamian (.419, nine RBI) and rightfielder Matt Hickman (tied for SCC lead at .429). After a 4-1 start, Los Angeles Harbor (4-5) has hit a rough patch with a 4-game losing streak. The Seahawks have a strong hitter in third baseman Jimmy Perez (.355 and 10 RBI) and a quality closer in Brandon Siebert (two saves, 1.93 ERA). 

East Los Angeles is 2-6, but always a tough team to face in conference. The Huskies feature pitcher Yuji Sakane, who is 2-1 and has allowed only five hits in 12.2 innings (2.13 ERA) and outfielder Jason Vela (.367). Compton (1-6) is going to have a challenge to keep pace with the SCC powers, but the Tartars have a solid bat in centerfielder Noah Ford, currently hitting .421.

The SCC schedule commences on Tuesday, Feb. 18. 

Current SCC Standings

SCC Statistical Leaders