2026 SMCC Baseball News

Photo Courtesy of NJCAA
Sophomore Bryan Lorenz Earns Second Team NJCAA All-American Honors

June 10, 2026

Sophomore Bryan Lorenz earned 2026 NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American honors after a sensational season for the South Mountain Community College baseball team. Lorenz, the ACCAC DII Player of the Year, appeared in 70 games and batted .405 with 78 runs, 111 hits, 21 doubles, five triples, nine home runs, 75 RBIs, 32 walks, and 14 stolen bases. He excelled at the 2026 NJCAA DII World Series, earning Offensive Player of the Tournament honors after batting .469 (15 of 32) over eight games where he totaled 15 hits, three doubles, one triple, three home runs, nine RBIs, five walks, two stolen bases, and 16 runs. He led all NJCAA Division II players in hits, ranked 17th in runs, and tied for 24th in the nation in RBIs. 

SMCC Baseball Hosts Open Tryouts June 12
SMCC Baseball Hosts Open Tryouts June 12

June 03, 2026

The South Mountain Community College 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.

SMCC Baseball Falls to Pearl River CC in Extra Innings in National Championship
SMCC Baseball Falls to Pearl River CC in Extra Innings in National Championship

May 30, 2026

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (52-18) lost 4-3 in 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. 

Photo Courtesy of NJCAA
No. 8 SMCC Baseball Defeats No. 4 Pasco-Hernando State at World Series

May 28, 2026

The No. 8 South Mountain Community College baseball team (51-17) defeated Pasco-Hernando State College (FL) 21-4 (5 innings) in a semfinal contest a the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Freshman Liu Rodriguez Jr. finished 3 for 4 with a home run, three runs, four RBIs, and a stolen base to lead the offense. Sophomores Byran Lorenz and Jack Meissner, and freshman Brandon Ornelas, collected multiple hits, runs, and RBis, and sophomore Luke Hewes, sophomore Nuri Todd, and freshman Aidan Murphy scored three times apiece in the win. 

Photo by Bruce Battle
Former Cougars Ready for the NCAA Baseball Postseason

May 27, 2026

The NCAA baseball postseason is upon us, and several former members of the South Mountain Community College baseball team find themselves either on the road to, or already at, their respective World Series. For the NCAA Division I Tournament, all games are broadcast on the ESPN Family of Networks. The NCAA Division II World Series is broadcast on the NCAA Championships Pass. Catch up with where some former Cougars are headed this postseason. 

Photo Courtesy of the NJCAA
No. 8 SMCC Baseball Defeats No. 1 Kellogg CC to Reach World Series Semifinals

May 27, 2026

The No. 8 South Mountain Community College baseball team (50-17) defeated No. 1 Kellogg CC (MI) 10-0 (five innings) in an elimination game at the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Sophomore Bryan Lorenz and Nuri Todd hit home runs, sophomore Ernie Alvarez added a double and two RBIs, and freshman Cody Stoller tossed five inniings of two-hit shutout baseball to lift the Cougars past the Bruins and reach the World Series Semifinals. 

No. 8 SMCC Baseball Defeats No. 5 East Central CC to Continue Time at World Series
No. 8 SMCC Baseball Defeats No. 5 East Central CC to Continue Time at World Series

May 26, 2026

The No. 8 South Mountain Community College baseball team (49-17) defeated East Central CC (MS) 13-12 in an elimination game at the NJCAA DII World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla., on Tueday, May 26. Sophomore designated hitter Jack Meissner had a big day at the plate for the Cougars, finishing 2 for 2 with a home run, a double, six RBIs, two runs, and two walks in the victory. Sophomore Bryan Lorenz and freshman Aidan Murphy added two hits and an RBI apiece, freshman Brandon Ornelas scored three runs, and freshman Liu Rodriguez Jr. drove in two as the Cougars set a new program record with their 49th win of the season.

Photo Courtesy of NJCAA
No. 8 SMCC Baseball Defeats No. 12 Wake Tech to Extend Run at World Series

May 25, 2026

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (48-17) defeated Wake Tech (NC) 6-2 in an elimination game at the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Sophomore Grant Young turned in an impressive performance on the mound for SMCC, tossing 7.2 innings with six hits, two earned runs, and five strikeouts to improve to 3-0 on the season. Freshman Sergio Garcia tossed 1.1 innings of hitless relief to earn the save. Offensively, sophomore Bobby Pierce Jr. had a double and three RBIs, and sophomore Luke Hewes blasted his second home run of the tournament in the win. 

Photo Courtesy of NJCAA
No. 8 SMCC Baseball Defeats No. 9 Parkland to Open Play at DII World Series

May 24, 2026

The eighth-seeded South Mountain Community College baseball team (47-16) defeated Parkland College (IL) 11-5 in its first game at the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Freshman Aidan Murphy went 3 for 5 with a triple, a home run, four RBIs, two runs, and a home-run stealing catch in right field to help lead the Cougars to the victory. Sophomores Bryan Lorenz, Luke Hewes, and Nuri Todd blasted home runs, and sophomore Braeden McCarroll earned the win with an inning of relief and freshman Izaiah Moraga recorded his sixth save of the year with three innings of relief. 

Photo by Maxwell Williamson
No. 1 Kellogg CC Edges No. 8 SMCC Baseball In Extra Innings at World Series

May 24, 2026

The No. 8 South Mountain Community College baseball team (47-16) lost 6-4 in 10 innings to No. 1 Kellogg CC in round two of the NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Freshman Liu Rodriguez Jr. launched a solo home run in the top of the 10th to give SMCC a 4-3 lead, but the Bruins walked off with the win on a three-run home run in the bottom of the frame. 

Photo by Maxwell Williamson
SMCC Baseball Earns No. 8 Seed at 2026 NJCAA DII World Series

May 19, 2026

The South Mountain Community College baseball team earned the No. 8 seed in the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series and will face No. 9 Parkland College (IL) in a first-round match-up at 6 pm CT / 4 pm MT (AZ) on Saturday, May 23, at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. The Cougars repeated as Region I and West District Champions to earn an automatic berth into the double-elimination tournament. The DII World Series runs from May 23-30. 

World Series Bound: SMCC Baseball Repeats as West District Champions
World Series Bound: SMCC Baseball Repeats as West District Champions

May 16, 2026

The South Mountain Community College baseball team (46-16) defeated Northern Oklahoma College-Enid 12-3 on May 14 and 7-4 on May 15 at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla., to win the 2026 NJCAA Division II West District Championship. SMCC has now earned an automatic bid to the 2026 NJCAA Division II World Series, May 23-30, also at David Allen Memorial Ballpark. The Selection Show is on Tuesday, May 19, at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. MT.

No. 14 SMCC Baseball Defeats Chandler-Gilbert CC to Win Region I Division II Championship
No. 14 SMCC Baseball Defeats Chandler-Gilbert CC to Win Region I Division II Championship

May 09, 2026

The No. 14 South Mountain Community College baseball team (44-16) defeated Chandler-Gilbert CC 4-3 on Thursday, May 7 and 12-8 on Friday, May 8 to win the Region I Division II Tournament Championship for the second-straight season. In game one, freshmen pitchers Cody Stoller and Izaiah Moraga teamed up to limit a dangerous Coyote offense, and sophomore Ernie Alvarez delivered a key two-out, two-run single in the 4-3 victory. In the second game, sophomores Bryan Lorenz, Nuri Todd, and Luke Hewes homered to help deliver a third-straight Region I title for the Cougars. 

Photo by Maxwell Williamson
No. 16 SMCC Baseball Defeats Glendale CC to Advance to Region I Championship Series

May 03, 2026

The No. 16 South Mountain Community College baseball team (42-16) defeated Glendale CC 2-0 on April 30 and 10-0 (5 innings) on May 1 to win the Region I Division II Semifinal and advance to the Region I Division II Championship. Freshmen Cody Stoller and Gennaro Brito turned in outstanding performances on the mound, while fellow freshmen Aidan Murphy and Liu Rodriguez Jr. combined for seven runs, six hits, three RBIs, two doubles, and three walks over the two victories to lead the Cougar offense.

Photo by Maxwell Williamson
NJCAA Region I Division II Tournament Information Page

April 29, 2026

Below is information on the NJCAA Region I Division II Playoffs. The tournament runs from April 30-May 2 and May 7-9. The winner of the tournament advances to a District Championship with a berth in the NJCAA Division II World Series at stake. This page will be updated as more information and results become available. 

Photo by Maxwell Williamson
Eight Cougars Earn All-ACCAC Division II Baseball Honors, Bryan Lorenz Named DII Player of the Year

April 29, 2026

Eight members of the No. 16 South Mountain Community College baseball team earned a spot on the 2026 All-ACCAC Division II and All-Region I Division II teams, as voted upon by the league's Division II head coaches, and sophomore Bryan Lorenz received ACCAC Division II Player of the Year honors. Sophomores Bobby Pierce Jr. and Jack Meissner and freshmen Liu Rodriguez Jr. and Izaiah Moraga joined Lorenz on the First Team, while sophomores Ernie Alvarez and Luke Hewes and freshman Brandon Ornelas earned Second Team honors. Finally, SMCC head coach Todd Eastin received ACCAC Division II Coach of the Year honors.