Junior College Roundup
National champions have been decided in the NJCAA Divisions I, II and III as well as the California CC Athletic Association. We’ve got all your championship info.
NJCAA Division I
Thanks to a 2-run homer by Gavin Johns and a complete game outing by JoJo Romero, Yavapai won the 2016 NJCAA Division I title with a 5-2 win over San Jacinto. The championship is the first for the Roughriders since 1993 and fourth in the program’s history.
Romero shone in the tournament, winning three games and striking out 22 batters in 15 innings, including 15 in the championship. Rashaan Kuahaulua was named most outstanding player for the tournament, batting .455 with two home runs and nine runs in the tournament for Yavapai.
The Roughriders finished their first championship season in 23 years with a record of 49-20.
Site: Grand Junction, Colo.
Participants: Chattahoochee Valley, Ala. (49-10); Cisco, Texas (46-14); Cowley County, Kan. (44-16); Darton State, Ga. (43-19); Delgado, La. (36-14); Harford, Md. (52-9); Iowa Western (50-13); Santa Fe, Fla. (42-8); San Jacinto, Texas (48-10); Yavapai, Ariz. (44-19)
Champion: Yavapai.
Runner-Up: San Jacinto.
Oustanding Player: Rashaan Kuahaulua, ss, Yavapai.
| Player, Team | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR |
| 1. Brylie Ware, Neosho County (Kan.) CC | .560 | .660 | 1.128 | 29 |
| 2. Hosea Nelson, Clarendon (Texas) CC | .531 | .606 | 1.020 | 20 |
| 3. Ryan Toliver, Neosho County (Kan.) CC | .493 | .581 | .798 | 13 |
| 4. Manuel Mesa, ASA New York CC | .489 | .530 | .730 | 4 |
| 5. Zachary Rheams, Cisco (Texas) CC | .481 | .570 | .846 | 17 |
| Pitcher, Team | W | L | ERA | IP |
| 1. Blair Calvo, Eastern Florida State CC | 6 | 1 | 0.97 | 74 |
| 2. Hunter Hood, Wallace-Dothan (Ala.) CC | 10 | 2 | 1.12 | 81 |
| 3. Devin Smeltzer, San Jacinto (Texas) CC | 9 | 3 | 1.18 | 92 |
| 4. Matthias Dietz, John A. Logan (Ill.) CC | 12 | 1 | 1.22 | 103 |
| 5. Chase Burks, Chattahoochee Valley (Ala.) CC | 14 | 0 | 1.34 | 94 |
| Category Leaders | |||
| DEPT. | Player, Team | G | Total |
| OBP | Brylie Ware, Neosho County (Kan.) CC | 62 | .660 |
| SLG | Brylie Ware, Neosho County (Kan.) CC | 62 | 1.128 |
| HR | Caden Doga, Hutchinson (Kan.) CC | 58 | 31 |
| RBI | Brylie Ware, Neosho County (Kan.) CC | 62 | 125 |
| SB | David Salgueiro, Kishwaukee (Ill.) CC | 54 | 60 |
| DEPT. | Pitcher, Team | G | Total |
| W | Chase Burks, Chattahoochee Valley (Ala.) CC | 15 | 14 |
| L | Raul Baduel, Frank Phillips (Texas) CC | 16 | 11 |
| SV | Deviner McCray, Gulf Coast State (Fla.) CC | 26 | 16 |
| IP | Jospeh Romero, Yavapai (Ariz.) CC | 21 | 114 |
| SO | Jakob Hernandez, Seward County (Kan.) CC | 16 | 159 |
NJCAA Division II
Led by five all-tournament freshmen, Jones County won its first-ever national championship with a 7-1 win over GateWay. Tanner Huddleston went 3-for-4 with a home run and Ben Stiglets threw a complete game, striking out eight over 100 pitches.
Tournament MVP Erick Hoard went 3-for-5 in the title game, and finished the tournament 11-for-22 with 11 RBIs. Jones County went 5-1 in the tournament to finish the season 54-9.
Site: Enid, Okla.
Participants: Brunswick, N.C. (40-16); GateWay, Ariz. (40-20); Jones County, Miss. (49-8); McHenry County, Ill. (48-10); Mercer County, N.J. (48-8); Monroe, N.Y. (33-14); North Iowa Area (47-14); Parkland, Co. (45-14); Sinclair, Oh. (49-10); Western Oklahoma State (46-16).
Champion: Jones County.
Runner-Up: GateWay.
Oustanding Player: Erick Hoard, if, Jones County.
| NATIONAL LEADERS: Batting Average | |||||
| (Minimum 2.5 PAs per game, 75% of games played) | |||||
| Rank | Player, Team | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR |
| 1. | Manuel Becerra, Morton (Ill.) CC | .500 | .592 | .717 | 3 |
| 2. | Jeffrey Riedel, Jackson (Mi.) CC | .489 | .571 | .883 | 3 |
| 3. | Colin Holderman, Heartland (Ill.) CC | .489 | .565 | .831 | 13 |
| 4. | Peter Ferony, Sussex County (N.J.) CC | .473 | .482 | .566 | 0 |
| 5. | Jordan Ding, Pasco-Hernando State (Fla.) CC | .467 | .538 | .744 | 1 |
| NATIONAL LEADERS: Earned Run Average | |||||
| (Minimum 1 IP per team game) | |||||
| Rank | Pitcher, Team | W | L | ERA | IP |
| 1. | Jacob Rodriguez, Sullivan County (N.Y.) CC | 4 | 1 | 1.23 | 44 |
| 2. | Tyler Hasper, Heartland (Ill.) CC | 10 | 1 | 1.41 | 64 |
| 3. | Channing Wall, East Central (Miss.) CC | 7 | 5 | 1.45 | 62 |
| 4. | James Rogers, Jackson (Mi.) CC | 8 | 0 | 1.49 | 60 |
| 5. | Andrew DiPiazza, Mercer County (N.J.) CC | 12 | 1 | 1.50 | 84 |
NJCAA Division III
Tyler added another chapter to its dominant run, sweeping through the tournament to win its third straight championship. The Apaches trailed once in the tournament, coming from behind in the title game to beat Northern Essex 4-3.
Tournament MVP Jonathan Groff won the first game of the tournament with a complete game and ended the last game of the tournament, earning a five-out save by getting five strikeouts.
Tyler outscored its opponents 33-7 in tournament and finished the season with a 42-16 record.
Site: Kinston, N.C.
Participants: Century, Minn. (38-11); Montgomery, Md. (34-15); Niagara County, N.Y. (43-5); Northern Essex, Mass, (22-14); Rowan College, N.J. (39-13); Suffolk County, N.Y. (25-6); Tyler, Texas (38-16); Waubonese, Ill. (37-17).
Champion: Tyler.
Runner-Up: Northern Essex.
Oustanding Player: Jonathan Groff, lhp, Tyler.
| NATIONAL LEADERS: Batting Average | |||||
| (Minimum 2.5 PAs per game, 75% of games played) | |||||
| Player, Team | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | |
| 1. Zach Zappo, Montgomery County (Pa.) CC | .605 | .646 | .860 | 1 | |
| 2. Charlie Ramsland, Quinsigamond (Mass.) CC | .526 | .586 | .807 | 2 | |
| 3. Austyn Cochran, North Arkansas CC | .518 | .544 | .655 | 2 | |
| 4. Carmen Jansante, Allegeny County-South (Pa.) CC | .517 | .571 | .759 | 2 | |
| 5. Darren Conte, Hudson Valley (N.Y.) CC | .512 | .598 | .655 | 0 | |
| NATIONAL LEADERS: Earned Run Average | |||||
| (Minimum 1 IP per team game) | |||||
| Pitcher, Team | W | L | ERA | IP | |
| 1. Kristopher Killackey, Suffolk County (N.Y.) CC | 9 | 0 | 1.03 | 52 | |
| 2. Jonathan Groff, Tyler (Texas) CC | 12 | 0 | 1.06 | 102 | |
| 3. Cayman Hatton, Montgomery (Md.) CC | 3 | 2 | 1.15 | 55 | |
| 4. Christian Young, Niagara County (N.Y.) CC | 9 | 0 | 1.2 | 53 | |
| 5. Nick Montefusco, Rowan College (N.J.) CC | 9 | 1 | 1.25 | 65 | |
California CC Athletic Association
With the championship game tied at 3 in the seventh, Santa Rosa right fielder Zach Hall grounded a single to right to score the go-ahead run, giving the Bear Cubs their third CCCAA championship in school history.
Jake Schneider and Alec Rennard were named co-MVPs for the tournament. Schneider went 10-for-16 in the tournament and drove in five runs. Rennard won the first game on the tournament and then closed the championship game, picking up his 14th win and first save in doing so.
Santa Rosa previously won the CCCAA title in 1952 and 2005. The Bear Cubs finished 38-9.
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Participants: Cypress (30-13), Golden West (29-14), San Joaquin Delta College (31-11), Santa Rosa (35-8).
Champion: Santa Rosa.
Runner-Up: Golden West.
Oustanding Player: Jack Scheiner, ss, Santa Rosa; Alec Rennard, rhp, Santa Rosa.
| NATIONAL LEADERS: Batting Average | |||||
| (Minimum 2.5 PAs per game, 75% of games played) | |||||
| Player, Team | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | |
| 1. Domonique Hernandez, Cerro Coso (Calif.) JC | .419 | .500 | .676 | 3 | |
| 2. Gerardo Torreblanca, San Bernardino (Calif.) JC | .418 | .450 | .595 | 2 | |
| 3. Dillon Persinger, Golden West (Calif.) JC | .417 | .523 | .661 | 6 | |
| 4. Clayton Andrews, Cabrillo (Calif.) JC | .410 | .461 | .566 | 2 | |
| 5. Jon Allen, Los Medanos (Calif.) JC | .406 | .470 | .581 | 3 | |
| NATIONAL LEADERS: Earned Run Average | |||||
| (Minimum 1 IP per team game) | |||||
| Pitcher, Team | W | L | ERA | IP | |
| 1. Ian Codina, American River (Calif.) JC | 4 | 3 | 1.17 | 38 | |
| 2. Josh Calmerin, Ohlone (Calif) JC | 6 | 0 | 1.28 | 49 | |
| 3. John Breidenthal, Cabrillo (Calif.) JC | 10 | 4 | 1.33 | 101 | |
| 4. Alec Rennard, Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC | 14 | 1 | 1.4 | 116 | |
| 5. Andrew Schultz, Grossmont (Calif.) JC | 2 | 4 | 1.45 | 50 | |
| Category Leaders | |||
| DEPT. | Player, Team | G | Total |
| OBP | Dillon Persinger, Golden West (Calif.) JC | 47 | 0.523 |
| SLG | Chad Bible, College of the Canyons (Calif.) JC | 38 | 0.704 |
| HR | Chad Bible, College of the Canyons (Calif.) JC | 38 | 15 |
| RBI | Chad Bible, College of the Canyons (Calif.) JC | 38 | 61 |
| Jack Scheiner, Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC | 47 | 61 | |
| SB | Matt Hearn, Mission (Calif.) JC | 41 | 28 |
| Category Leaders | |||
| DEPT. | Pitcher, Team | G | Total |
| W | Alec Rennard, Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC | 17 | 14 |
| L | Troy Nixon, Napa (Calif.) JC | 17 | 10 |
| Anthony Beasley, Victor Valley (Calif.) JC | 14 | 10 | |
| Clayton Rabiej, Antelope Valley (Calif.) JC | 13 | 10 | |
| Gilbert Cano, Imperial Valley (Calif.) JC | 13 | 10 | |
| Wyatt Eglian, College of the Redwoods (Calif.) JC | 12 | 10 | |
| SV | Austin Schiber, Sacramento City (Calif.) JC | 17 | 10 |
| IP | Tyler Tungate, Golden West (Calif.) JC | 18 | 119 |
| SO | Joe Wills, Rio Hondo (Calif.) JC | 15 | 110 |
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