Mt. San Antonio Scores 6th Consecutive Softball Crown
Mt. San Antonio College, currently the #3-ranked team in the state coaches poll, ran away with its sixth straight South Coast Conference softball championship after winning 23 of 24 games in conference play.
The Mounties (35-5) carry an 18-game overall winning streak going into the SoCal Regional Playoffs. Mt. SAC's South Coast streak of titles include three North Division championships from 2017-2019 sandwiched between overall crowns in 2016, 2022, and this season. There was a 2-year absence of SCC play in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An undefeated SCC run was spoiled by third-place Long Beach in a 3-0 loss to the Vikings on Mar. 30. The Mounties biggest win of the season came in handing state #1 Palomar its only loss this season, a 3-2 Mt. SAC win in eight innings on April 8.
State #10-ranked Cerritos (27-12) ended the regular season on a 9-game, SCC winning streak to grab second place in the conference at 19-5. At #11, Long Beach (25-13-1) placed third at 17-7. Pasadena City (24-16) rebounded from last year to finish fourth at 16-8 while El Camino (24-16) was fifth at 13-11. Rio Hondo (20-19) placed sixth at 10-14, then LA Harbor (16-24) seventh, East Los Angeles eighth and Compton ninth.
ALL-SCC 2023--PASADENA'S HARRIS, MT. SAC'S ESPINOZA SHARE CONFERENCE MVP HONORS; MOUNTIES' URBINA PITCHER OF YEAR
Pasadena's sophomore slugging third baseman Jaimie Harris, who set PCC school records for home runs (11) and RBI (46) in a season, and conference on-base percentage and runs scored leader third baseman/shortstop Janis Espinoza were named SCC Co-Players of the Year at the postseason coaches meeting held at Rio Hondo College on Friday morning.
Espinoza hit .458 overall, had an OBP of .530 with 43 runs and 23 stolen bases while Harris batted .408 with 27 extra-base hits, a SCC-high best .800 slugging percentage and .455 OBP.
Mt SAC ace Aleyna Urbina was chosen Pitcher of the Year with a sparkling 17-2 records and 1.10 ERA. Cerritos head coach Kodee Murray collected Coach of the Year honors.
The Mounties had the most selections on the 25-player First and Second Teams with five players.
SCC Final Regular Season Standings
SOCAL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS--5 SOUTH COAST TEAMS MAKE IT IN
While not official as of Friday, April 28, it appears the SCC will have five teams advancing to next week's Southern California Regional Playoffs.
Mt. San Antonio will have the #2 seed and will face the highest remaining seed of play-in round games between #18 San Bernardino Valley v. #15 San Diego Mesa and #17 Chaffey at #16 Allan Hancock.
Cerritos will host as a #4 seed and play #13 LA Mission, #10 Long Beach plays at #7 Bakersfield, #11 El Camino at #6 Ventura and #14 Pasadena travels to face #3 Cypress.
The best-of-3-game, first round series are to be played May 5-6.
Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID