Posted: May 30, 2026
SMCC Baseball Falls to Pearl River CC in Extra Innings in National Championship
South Mountain Community College
(52-17)
8
Pasco-Hernando State College
(38-24)
6
| BOT 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
South Mountain Community College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 2 |
|
Pasco-Hernando State College | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
South Mountain Community College
(52-18)
3
Pearl River Community College
(50-11)
4
| BOT 11 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
South Mountain Community College | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
|
Pearl River Community College | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
PHOENIX ---
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.
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, and Rodriguez Jr. and Lorenz earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team.
Pearl River CC Recap
The Cougars and Warriors engaged in an instant classic that required extra innings before a two-out, RBI single tipped things in PRCC's favor in the bottom of the 11th.
SMCC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second when Rodriguez Jr. singled with one out, and Short singled to put two runners on with two down. Sophomore Ernie Alvarez drove in Rodriguez Jr. with an RBI single, and sophomore Nuri Todd made it 2-0 with an RBI single that plated Short.
The Warriors scratched back with a solo home run in the fourth and tied the game in the sixth on a passed ball.
After a lightning delay interrupted the action with two on in the bottom of the eighth, PRCC executed a double-steal that pushed them ahead 3-2 entering the ninth.
Undeterred, Lorenz singled with one out and pitches hit Meissner and Rodriguez Jr. to load the bases with two down. Strand then worked a walk to tie the game, but SMCC could not cash in another run before the inning ended.
The Cougars loaded the bases again in the 10th with two outs, but PRCC got a strikeout to end the threat.
Lorenz, Murphy, Short, and Alvarez had two hits apiece in the loss. Short doubled, scored a run, and stole a base, while Murphy had the team's second double. Todd had the team's second stolen base.
Freshman Sergio Garcia took the loss on the mound for SMCC, tossing three innings of relief with one hit and one earned run. He fanned three batters as well. Stoller started the game and went 7.1 innings with five hits, three earned runs, two walks, and five strikeouts. Sophomore Diego Rodriguez was the final SMCC pitcher in the game.
Pasco-Hernando State Recap
Despite trailing 2-0, 6-2, and 6-4 at different points throughout the game, the SMCC Baseball Team pulled off an 8-6 victory over Pasco-Hernando State College (FL) to punch its ticket to the National Championship Game.
Pasco-Hernando took a 2-0 lead in the third on a two-run double. However, Lorenz tied the game in the fifth with a two-run home run, his ninth of the year and third at the World Series.
The Bobcats reclaimed the lead with a four-run sixth inning, although Murphy cut that advantage in half with a two-out, two-run home run. The deep fly was his third ot the year and second at the World Series.
Todd singled with one out to start the rally in the ninth, and he and sophomore Bobby Pierce Jr. scored on Murphy's game-tying single.
Pierce Jr. went 4 for 5 with two runs and a double, while Lorenz finished 3 for 5 with three runs, two RBIs, a double, and a home run.
Murphy also had three hits, adding four RBIs, a run, and a homer. Meissner finished 2 for 5 with an RBI triple.
Moraga earned the win with three innings of two-hit shutout relief work. He fanned three and walked one. Sophomore Grant Young started the game for SMCC and went 2.1 innings with one hit, two earned runs, one walk, and two K's.
Freshman Dallas Dunn threw 2.2 innings of relief with four hits, one earned run, and one punchout, and sophomore Braeden McCarroll tossed an inning with two hits, one earned run, and three strikeouts.
SMCC set a new program record with its 52 victories and finished 12-2 in postseason play. The Cougars won the NJCAA DII West District Championship, the Region I Division II Tournament Championship, and the ACCAC Division II Regular Season Championship for the second-straight season.