Cerritos Looks To Defend SCC Baseball Title In 2025
Cerritos College, the defending champion, was rated #3 in the Southern California pre-season rankings and is again a major contender in the South Coast Conference baseball race this season.
The Falcons (6-2 overall) return SCC Pitcher of the Year in lefty Derek Valdez, who is already off to a 3-0 start with 18 strikeouts in 18.2 innings and a 1.45 ERA.
Cerritos has wins over North #5 San Joaquin Delta and South #12 LA Valley and two over #20 Mt. San Jacinto. Frosh third baseman/pitcher Mateo Heredia is batting .444 with 10 RBI in eight games through Feb. 11.
Mt. San Antonio was pre-season #6 and the Mounties are 6-3 thus far with two victories over #11 Glendale, one over MSJC, and losses to #9 Cypress and #13 Fullerton. Sophomore third baseman Ty Thomas (.389) is the early conference leader (tied) in RBI with 14 to go with six stolen bases. Lefty Hudson Castillo has not allowed an earned run in two starts (1-1, 11.2 IP).
Mt. SAC's Ty Thomas
Rated #10, Long Beach CC is 5-5 and has wins over Fullerton (split home-and-home) and MSJC and defeats v. LAVC and #14 Allan Hancock. The Vikings feature 2024 All-SCC Second Team pitcher Myles Dismute, who was selected as the SoCal Challenge Pitcher of the Tournament award. Dismute has struck out 17 batters in 18 innings with a 3.00 ERA. LBCC also returns All-SCC First Team outfielder Caleb Brandon.
At #19, Pasadena CC opened at 4-3 and has wins over #2 Santa Ana and LA Valley (11 innings, 5-4) and losses to Cypress and Delta. The Lancers are paced by returning All-SCC First Team utlity player now shortstop Bryan Richman, who was also on the pre-season All-American list, and letterman pitcher Connor Campbell (2-1), who pitched a complete game in the win over the Dons.
Currently 6-3, El Camino could be formidable this season after sweeping the annual, season-opening Memorial Cup 3-game series v. Orange Coast while having losses v. Delta and Cypress. The Warriors boast two pre-season All-Americans, including sophomore third baseman Lucas Bonham (.351, 11 RBI currently), and a top starter in frosh Adrian Pineda, who is 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA in 19 IP.
LA Harbor (4-3) had a 3-game win streak featuring a win over #18 Canyons and a loss to Cypress. The Seahawks are led by sophomore leftfielder Randy Martinez (.345) and has a top starter in Christian Johnson (1.62 ERA and 16 Ks in 16.2 IP).
East Los Angeles (4-5) has two big talents in returning first baseman Evan Chavez (.472, SCC co-leader 14 RBI) and solid starting pitcher/sophomore Hector Valdez, who is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 14 IP. The Huskies split v. #7 Riverside CC, handing the 7-1 Tigers their only loss to date. ELAC also lost twice to Glendale and once v. Santa Ana.
Rio Hondo (2-9) lost a 3-game set v. North #1 Folsom Lake and to #20 Merced. The Roadrunners have a solid run producer in freshman outfielder Wes Pendleton (.293, 11 RBI) and return top starting pitcher in Matthew Leyva, who has already hurled a SCC-leading 20.2 innings.
Compton (0-8) is still searching for its first 2025 win and have a pre-season All-American in second-year third baseman Quincy Quintero, who batted .410 in 26 games last season. Compton returns SP Gabriel Lizarraga, who pitched four wins in 2024.
Weather permitting, the teams will embark on their 24-game, SCC schedules as every team plays a 3-game series v. all conference opponents.
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID