OEC Title Completely Up for Grabs as Quality of Teams Continue to Improve

As the Orange Empire Conference begins its 2015 matchups, one glance at the nonconference standings should tell the rest of the state what everyone in this conference already knows – it's the best baseball conference in all of California.

The combined record of the OEC through Feb. 23 is 73-22 (.768 winning percentage). In case anyone wants to know the next-closest in terms of winning percentage – it's the Coast-Pacific Conference at 49-31 (.612 winning percentage). 

Need further proof? Among Southern California teams, all eight OEC teams have won at least eight games in nonconference. The rest of Southern California has FOUR teams with eight-or-more wins.

Here, in alphabetical order, is a team-by-team breakdown of the Orange Empire Conference with each team's nonconference record in parenthesis …

CYPRESS (10-2) – The home cooking has treated Scott Pickler's Cypress Chargers very well thus far. Out of the 12 nonconference games played, Cypress hosted 10 and went 8-2, with two more wins coming at the David Buttles Tournament. The Chargers have plenty of offensive firepower to choose from, as they carry a .323 team batting average and 43 extra base hits into OEC play.

Leading the way for the Chargers is freshman Aaron Case, who is batting .457 with 21 hits, five runs scored and 10 RBI. A co-leader to the Cypress offense is sophomore Jack Flansburg, who is batting an even .500 with 19 hits, six doubles, 12 walks and 17 RBI. In all, NINE different Chargers have double-digit hits and six have double-digit RBI totals.

The success doesn't stop at the plate as the Charger pitching staff has been strong up and down the roster, but, leading the way has been sophomore righty Nathan Kuchta, who is 4-0 in four starts with a 0.35 ERA, allowing one run over 26 innings with 28 strikeouts.

FULLERTON (9-3) – It's been a solid start to the 2015 season for coach Nick Fuscardo's Fullerton College Hornets, who opened the season 6-0 before a 3-3 finish to the nonconference schedule.

With a .317 team average and a 2.86 team ERA, the Hornets are clicking on all cylinders heading into OEC play. Fullerton currently has seven players with double-digit hit totals, including freshman catcher Julio Rivera, who has a team-best 16 to go along with his .432 batting average and seven stolen bases. Joining in the offensive production includes freshman Marco Rivera (.378, 14 hits, 11 RBI), sophomore Oscar Heredia (.480, 12 hits, 10 RBI in nine games) and freshman Laine Huffman (.318, 14 hits, eight RBI).

The Hornets will earn their victories through base hits, execution and coming through with runners on base. Out of Fullerton's 129 hits, only 22 are of extra bases (17 doubles, five triples).

On the mound, the Hornets are anchored by a sophomore starting trio of Dylan Prohoroff (3-0, 2.78 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings pitched), Kyle Lozcano (1-1, 3.47 ERA) and Gordan Cardenas (1-2, 3.60 ERA, one complete game), while relievers Axel Cruz, Randall Ortiz and Nico Castaneda have allowed just two earned runs over a combined 25 2/3 innings.

GOLDEN WEST (8-5) – With several games on the road to start the season, coach Bert Villareal's Golden West Rustlers have more than held their own against some solid competition. After a season-opening loss to Palomar, the Rustlers reeled off five straight wins, including quality wins over Palomar and Cerritos.

Offensively, the Rustlers enter OEC play with a .267 team batting average and are led by sophomore Jordan Lucio (.388, 19 hits, 12 RBI), freshman Philip Knapp (.400, 12 hits) and freshman Dillon Persinger (.326, 15 hits, 14 runs, 10 walks). Aggressive on the bases, the Rustlers are 18-of-22 in stolen base opportunities, which explains a plus-18 advantage in runs (63-45) despite only a plus-7 advantage in hits (115-108).

Freshmen Ryan Kayoda (3-0, 1.86 ERA, 11 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings) and A.J. Dean (2-0, 2.49 ERA, 18 strikeouts in 21 2/3 IP) lead a young, but talented Rustlers pitching staff which enters OEC play with a 3.06 team ERA. Leading the bullpen brigade is sophomore Justin Moulds, who has a save, seven strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA in five appearances.

IRVINE VALLEY  (8-4) – Winners of four straight to start the season, coach Kent Madole's Irvine Valley College Lasers had the start they were looking for as the 2015 season kicked off. With a .297 team batting average and a 2.41 team ERA, the Lasers have a solid mixture of offensive firepower and pitching depth to give any team in the OEC a run for their money.

A pair of freshman – Lucas Tancas and Dillon Millar – has paved the way for the hot start at the plate for the Lasers. Tancas leads IVC with a .429 batting average with 21 hits, seven extra-base hits, nine runs scored and eight RBI, while Millar has batted .340 with 16 hits, seven runs and eight RBI through the first 12 games of the season.

On the mound, sophomore Justin Zielinski and freshman Ryan Abady have looked impressive through their first four starts. Zielinski is 3-0 with a complete game and a 0.31 ERA, allowing just one earned run over 29 innings with no walks and 10 strikeouts. Abady is 2-0 with a CG and a 1.07 ERA, allowing three earned runs over 25 1/3 innings with five walks and 17 strikeouts.

ORANGE COAST (9-6) – You know you're in a tough conference when the defending state champion Pirates are 9-6 and have the WORST record among OEC teams heading into conference play. With the departure of SIXTEEN players from last year's championship team, coach John Altobelli has used the nonconference as an extended tryout for several starting positions and the results have been a mixed bag.

The Pirate offense has struggled with a .267 team batting average, but some players have stepped up and performed well. Included in that list are sophomores Robert Longtree (.389 batting average, 14 hits, nine runs scored) and Stefan Panayiotou (.362, 17 hits, nine runs, seven doubles, eight RBI). Returning all-state selection Tommy Bell leads the team with 12 RBI to go along with his .298 average with 14 hits and eight runs.

Returning sophomore Art Vidrio is 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA, while freshman Casey Costello has been a solid starter with a 3-1 record and a 2.94 ERA. Coast, which has notched five saves in nine wins, is led out of the bullpen by sophomore Dominic Purpura (1-0, three saves, 2.08 ERA), Jack Pabich (one save. 1.93 ERA in five appearances) and Andrew Frank (1-0, 1.93 ERA). After a slow start, keep an eye out for sophomore transfer Scott Serigstad (1-1, 3.38 ERA, 24 strikeouts in 21 1/3 IP) as a starter and/or reliever.

RIVERSIDE (11-1) – The word out on the street is that Coach Dennis Rogers' Riverside City College Tigers are locked and loaded for 2015 and notching wins in 11-of-12 to start the season proves that.

RCC has talent up and down the lineup, as confirmed by its .312 team average and its 84-50 advantage in runs scored. Freshman Thomas Pincin leads the way with a .381 average, 16 hits, 12 runs, seven RBI and five stolen bases, while sophomore Logan Griffin is batting .364 with 16 hits, 11 runs and six RBI. Freshman Brody Weiss leads RCC with 17 hits and 13 RBI to go along with his .333 average.

The Tigers' pitching staff is lead at the top by freshman Tyler Tungate (3-0, 1.42 ERA, three earned runs in 19 innings) and sophomore Austin Sodders (3-0, 1.57 ERA, 19 strikeouts, one complete game in 23 innings). Out of the bullpen, the freshmen fivesome of Ryan Avila, Octavio Lara, Austin Nazabal, Andrew O'Brien and Dallas Burk have allowed one run in 18 innings with 13 strikeouts along the way.

SADDLEBACK (8-2) – Another OEC team, another impressive start … such is the case for Somer McCartney's Saddleback College Gauchos who come into OEC play winners of four straight.

Sophomore Casey Worden leads the Gauchos with a .378 batting average, 14 hits, six doubles, two home runs and eight RBI. Saddleback's .302 team batting average is solid and its 44 extra-base hits (34 doubles, eight triples, two HRs) bring fear to any pitching staff. Freshman Jared Donahoe has started strong with a .326 average, 14 hits, four doubles, 11 runs and seven RBI, while sophomore Don James brings a .344 average, 11 hits, nine runs, five doubles and five RBI into OEC play.

Three potential starting pitchers – freshman Dominique Key, Jackson Rees and Brett Barker – have all sub-1.00 ERAs for the Gauchos, led by Key's 2-0, 0.51 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings. Rees is 1-0 with a complete game and a 0.66 ERA, while Barker is 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA.

SANTA ANA (9-3-1) – The Dons – OEC co-champions with the Pirates in 2014 -- continue their impressive baseball tradition. Led by coach Bryan Harris, the Dons opened the season strong and even managed to earn a tie against L.A. Valley on Jan. 29.

Sophomore leadoff hitter Cameron Baranek has been solid for the Dons with a .408 average with 20 hits, 14 runs, five RBI and six stolen bases, while teammate Alex Mascarenas has batted .391 with 18 hits, 13 runs, three home runs and 12 RBI. Fellow sophomore Nester Linares is tied with Mascarenas with 12 RBI to go along with a .370 average, 17 hits and 11 runs. Collectively, the Dons are batting .294 and lead the OEC with 30 stolen bases.

Sophomore standout hurler A.J. Franks has been the mainstay out of the SAC bullpen with a 3-1 record with two saves and a 2.04 ERA in 10 appearances (17 2/3 IP).Fellow sophomore reliever Danel Ferrell has also been very effective with a 1-0 record and a 2.70 ERA in nine appearances, covering 13 1/3 innings. The duo has combined for 29 strikeouts over 31 innings, while walking only six.