South Mountain Community College Athletics

CONFIRMED: baseball head coach Todd Eastin will join The Kevin McCabe Show on 98.7 FM in Phoenix on Saturday, July 6 at 10:30 am MT (AZ) am to talk about the Cougars' historic 2026 season!

If you live outside the greater Phoenix area and are unable to listen over the air, you can download the Arizona Sports App to listen wherever you are: https://arizonasports.com/the-arizona-sports-98-7-fm-app

The Baseball Team will hold open tryouts for the 2026-27 season to any and all interested 2025 and 2026 high school graduates on Friday, June 12 beginning at 8 a.m. at the SMCC Baseball Field.

Any persons interested in participating in the tryouts must RSVP to SMCC assistant coach Kevin Soine at [email protected].

Participants must bring their own equipment and a copy of a valid sports physical within the last 13 months.

There is a $20 tryout fee.

The Baseball team will be returning to campus around 2 p.m. on Monday, June 1.

Please come out to the SMCC Gym to welcome the Cougars back from their historic run in the 2026 NJCAA DII World Series.

All fans, families, staff, and the public are welcome to attend.

Three members of the Baseball team earned major awards at the 2026 NJCAA DII World Series!

Sophomore Bryan Lorenz won 2026 NJCAA DII World Series Offensive Player of the Tournament by batting .469 (15 of 32) over eight games at the event. He totaled 15 hits, three doubles, one triple, three home runs, nine RBIs, five walks, two stolen bases, and 16 runs.

Freshman shortstop Liu Rodriguez Jr. earned 2026 NJCAA DII World Series Defensive Player of the Tournament honors after posting a .974 fielding percentage in eight games and 39 chances. He was a part of 10 double plays. Offensively, he totaled 11 hits, eight runs, eight RBIs, two doubles, two home runs, four walks, and a stolen base.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Cody Stoller received 2026 NJCAA DII World Series Pitcher of the Tournament honors. He went 2-0 in 17.1 innings with a 3.12 ERA and 12 strikeouts in three starts for the Cougars. He recorded wins over Parkland College (IL) and Kellogg CC (MI), and started the National Championship game against Pearl River CC (MS).

Full Recap from the final day of the 2026 Baseball Season. The Cougars fall 4-3 (11 innings) to Pearl River CC (MS) in the National Championship Game at the 2026 NJCAA DII World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla.

Down to his final strike, freshman Will Strand drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 3-3. However, the Wildcats' Ethan Garner hit a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 11th to lift his team to the National Championship.

Earlier in the day, SMCC staged a dramatic comeback in the top of the ninth to defeat Pasco-Hernando State College (FL) 8-6 to claim a berth in the National Championship. Trailing 6-4, freshman Aidan Murphy hit a two-run single to tie the game, sophomore Bryan Lorenz scored on a wild pitch, and sophomore Jack Meissner drove in sophomore Gavin Short with a two-out, RBI triple. Freshman Izaiah Moraga locked down the bottom of the frame as the Cougars advanced to Saturday's finale.

For their efforts, Lorenz, Murphy, freshman pitcher Cody Stoller, and freshman shortstop Liu Rodriguez Jr. earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Stoller received Pitcher of the Tournament honors, Lorenz earned Offensive Player of the Tournament honors, and Rodriguez Jr. received Defensive Player of the Tournament honors. South Mountain CC also received the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Recap, Box Score, and Photo Galleries: https://smcccougars.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/2025-26/releases/20260530t8bkhl

All Pictures Courtesy of the NJCAA. Attached Photos are mixed between both games today. Thank you to the NJCAA for their generous photo galleries throughout the World Series.

FINAL: The Baseball Team fell 4-3 (11 innings) to Pearl River CC in the National Championship game at the DII World Series in Enid, Okla. The Cougars ended the year 52-18 overall and National-Runners Up.

Full story to come

GAMEDAY! The Baseball Team Faces Pearl River CC (MS) for the 2026 NJCAA DII World Series Title at 2 pm CT / Noon MT (AZ).

Links for live stats and the PPV NJCAA Network live stream: https://athletics.southmountaincc.edu/sports/bsb/2025-26/schedule

Use only the above link to find the NJCAA Network. Avoid spam, no matter how sincere they may seem.

COUGARS WIN! The Baseball Team scored 4 in the top of the 9th to defeat Pasco-Hernando 8-6! Aidan Murphy 2-run HR in 7th, 2-run single in 9th to send to the National Championship game!

Cougars face Pearl River CC at 2 pm CT / Noon MT (AZ) for the D2 World Series Title!

Live stats and links for the PPV live stream of the National Championship game on the NJCAA Network will be up at SMCCCougars.com shortly.

GAMEDAY! The No. 8 Baseball Team faces No. 4 Pasco-Hernando State College at 10 a.m. CT / 8 am MT (AZ) in a World Series Semifinal game with a spot in the National Championship game on the line.

Links for live stats and the PPV NJCAA Network live stream: https://athletics.southmountaincc.edu/sports/bsb/2025-26/schedule

The winner will face Pearl River CC (MS) in the Championship Game at 2pm CT / Noon MT (AZ).

POSTPONED! the baseball game vs. Pasco-Hernando on Friday, May 29, has been postponed to Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. CT / 8 a.m. MT (AZ) due to rain and inclement weather in the Enid area.

We will post a new gameday graphic tomorrow with links to live stats and the PPV NJCAA Network.