CCAA Tournament Preview
- Robert Frey
- May 6
- 8 min read
The 2025 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Baseball Tournament is set to take place at Reeder Field on the campus of Cal State LA in Los Angeles. This marks the first time since 2006-2007 that the tournament will be held in Southern California for consecutive years, and the first time Reeder Field has hosted since those same years. Last year, in 2024, Cal State Monterey Bay emerged victorious, claiming the tournament championship at Scolinos Field at Cal Poly Pomona.
The six-team tournament will feature a single-elimination game on the first day (Wednesday, May 7th) for the four lowest seeds. The remaining teams will then be reseeded for a double-elimination tournament running from Thursday, May 8th, through Saturday, May 10th. The ultimate winner will earn the CCAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.
Fans can find more information about the tournament, including brackets and schedules, on the official CCAA Tournament homepage: https://goccaa.org/tournaments/?id=140&path=baseball.
For those unable to attend in person, the CCAA Baseball Tournament will be available to stream via pay-per-view on FloBaseball through FloCollege. You can access the stream here: https://www.flobaseball.tv/leagues/12793571-ccaa-baseball.
Here's a look at the teams competing:
#1 Seed Cal State Monterey Bay Otters
Cal State Monterey Bay heads into the 2025 CCAA Baseball Tournament as the No. 1 seed after an impressive regular season, finishing with a 26-14 conference record and 33-16 overall. The Otters are also the defending tournament champions, having won the title in 2024. As the top seed, Cal State Monterey Bay receives a bye into the double-elimination portion of the tournament and will play their first game on Thursday, May 8 at 11 AM Pacific Time, against the No. 4 seed emerging from the opening day's single-elimination games.
Team Stats
The Otters boast a well-rounded team, ranking third in the CCAA in team batting average at .307. Their pitching staff is the class of the conference, leading the CCAA in ERA (4.47), strikeouts (409), batting average against (.255), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.71). Defensively, they are also stout, ranking second in the conference with a .976 fielding percentage.
Players to Watch
Hitting:
KW Quilici: Leads the offensive charge with a .386 batting average, a 1.104 OPS, 11 home runs, and a team-high 46 RBIs.
Jaden Sheppard: A major contributor, hitting .351 with a 1.109 OPS and 11 home runs.
Javier Felix: Provides power with a 1.028 OPS and 10 home runs.
Noah Zertuche: Gets on base and hits for power, evidenced by a 1.028 OPS.
Pitching:
Nathan Rohlicek: Showcases excellent command with a 6.64 K/BB ratio over 68.1 innings pitched.
Henry Proger: Posts a strong 4.2 K/BB ratio in 47 innings.
Mitchell Torres: Demonstrates good control with a 3.23 K/BB ratio across 52.1 innings.
Giovanni Costello: Effective in his appearances with a 2.8 K/BB ratio over 25 innings.
As the top seed and defending champions, Cal State Monterey Bay enters the CCAA Tournament as a strong favorite. Their dominant pitching staff, which leads the conference in multiple key categories, combined with a potent offense featuring hitters like KW Quilici and Jaden Sheppard, makes them a formidable opponent. With a high-ranking defense to back it all up, the Otters are well-positioned to make another deep run and contend for a repeat title.
#2 Seed Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros
Cal State Dominguez Hills earned the No. 2 seed in the 2025 CCAA Baseball Tournament after a solid regular season, finishing with a 25-15 record in conference play and 29-20 overall. As the second seed, the Toros receive a bye into the double-elimination portion and will play their first game on Thursday, May 8 at 3 PM Pacific Time, against the No. 3 seed that emerges after the opening day's single-elimination games and reseeding.
Team Stats
While Cal State Dominguez Hills does not rank in the top five in team batting average or OPS, nor in the top three for walks or stolen bases offensively, and their pitching and defensive team statistics do not place them in the top tier of the conference in the specified categories, they have secured a high seed through consistent play.
Players to Watch
Hitting:
Dylan Schumacher: Hits for a high average with a .361 BA.
Trey Winget: Posts a strong 1.071 OPS.
Noah Karliner: Provides power with 12 home runs.
Quinn Johnson: Leads the team with 39 RBIs and has hit 11 home runs.
Pitching:
Justin Abercrombie: Has been excellent on the mound with a 2.42 ERA and a 4.31 K/BB ratio over 63.1 innings.
Julian Castro: Posts a strong 2.47 ERA and a 3.25 K/BB ratio in 47.1 innings pitched.
Evan Vazquez: Maintains a solid 3.56 K/BB ratio across 62 innings.
Cal State Dominguez Hills enters the CCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed, ready to make a statement. While not leading in many team statistical categories, they have key individual performers who can change the game. Hitters like Dylan Schumacher, Trey Winget, and Quinn Johnson provide offensive sparks, while pitchers Justin Abercrombie and Julian Castro anchor the staff with impressive ERAs and control. Their performance in the double-elimination bracket will depend on these standouts leading the way.
#3 Seed San Francisco State Gators
San Francisco State enters the 2025 CCAA Baseball Tournament as the No. 3 seed, having compiled a 25-15 record in conference play and a 30-19 mark overall. In a poignant note, this will be the final season for the San Francisco State baseball program, as it is being discontinued due to budget cuts. The Gators will begin their quest in the single-elimination opening round on Wednesday, May 7 at 12 PM (noon) Pacific Time, facing the No. 6 seed, Cal State San Marcos.
Team Stats
The Gators have a strong offensive presence, ranking second in the CCAA with a .331 team batting average. Their pitching staff is also formidable, ranking third in the conference in ERA (5.21), third in strikeouts (353), and third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.42). Defensively, San Francisco State leads the CCAA with an outstanding .976 fielding percentage.
Players to Watch
Hitting:
Daniel Murillo: A standout hitter with a .399 batting average, a 1.111 OPS, and 11 home runs.
Michael Cunningham: Provides significant power with a 1.112 OPS and 16 home runs, leading the team with 56 RBIs.
Nicholas Allred: Hits for a high average at .382.
Kyle Olimpia: Consistently gets on base, batting .374.
Pitching:
Nathan Shinn: Anchors the pitching staff with an impressive 2.84 ERA and an excellent 5.07 K/BB ratio over 73 innings pitched.
David Eichhorn: Demonstrates strong command with a 4.55 K/BB ratio in 64.2 innings.
Andrew Silva: Posts a solid 2.83 K/BB ratio across 32.2 innings.
Playing with immense heart in their program's final season, the third-seeded San Francisco State Gators are a dangerous team in this CCAA Tournament. They boast a top-ranked defense and a strong offense, led by hitters like Daniel Murillo and Michael Cunningham. Ace Nathan Shinn heads a pitching staff that also ranks among the conference's best. The Gators will look to make a memorable final run, starting with their opening-round game against Cal State San Marcos.
#4 Seed Cal State LA Golden Eagles
Cal State LA enters the 2025 CCAA Baseball Tournament as the No. 4 seed, holding a 23-17 record in conference play and 26-24 overall. The Golden Eagles have the honor of hosting this year's tournament at their home field, Reeder Field. Their first game will be in the single-elimination opening round on Wednesday, May 7 at 4 PM Pacific Time, against the No. 5 seed, Chico State.
Team Stats
The Cal State LA offense ranks fifth in the CCAA with a .292 team batting average.
Players to Watch
Hitting:
Malik Clayton: Hits for a high average with a .371 BA.
Isaiah Marquez: Leads the team with 42 RBIs.
Pitching:
Ismael Quintero: Has been a standout on the mound, posting a very low 1.91 ERA over 28.1 innings pitched.
Playing on their home turf, the fourth-seeded Cal State LA Golden Eagles aim to make a strong showing in the CCAA Tournament. Their offense features the consistent hitting of Malik Clayton and the run-producing ability of Isaiah Marquez. Ismael Quintero has been a bright spot on the pitching staff with his impressive ERA. The Golden Eagles will look to leverage their home-field advantage in a tough opening-round elimination game against Chico State.
#5 Seed Chico State Wildcats
Chico State enters the 2025 CCAA Baseball Tournament as the No. 5 seed, holding a 22-18 record in conference play and 29-20 overall. The tournament is hosted at Reeder Field on the campus of Cal State LA. The Wildcats will face the host and No. 4 seed, Cal State LA, in a single-elimination opening-round game on Wednesday, May 7 at 4 PM Pacific Time.
Team Stats
The Chico State offense ranks fourth in the CCAA with a .296 team batting average. Their pitching staff boasts the second-best ERA in the conference at 4.80. Defensively, the Wildcats are solid, ranking third in the CCAA with a .975 fielding percentage.
Players to Watch
Hitting:
Troy Kent: Leads the offense with a .375 batting average and a 1.074 OPS, and is also the team's RBI leader with 48.
Phoenix Casias: Hits for a high average with a .378 BA.
Pitching:
Marco Ibarra: Has a 2.5 K/BB ratio over 64.2 innings pitched.
Rocco Borrelli: Posts a 2.88 K/BB ratio across 62.1 innings.
Aaron McCurley: Demonstrates good control with a 3.83 K/BB ratio in 33 innings.
The fifth-seeded Chico State Wildcats bring a competitive squad to Los Angeles, highlighted by a strong pitching staff that ranks second in the CCAA in ERA and a defense that is third in fielding percentage. Offensively, they are led by Troy Kent and Phoenix Casias. Key arms like Marco Ibarra and Rocco Borrelli will be crucial in their opening-round elimination game against the tournament host, Cal State LA.
#6 Seed Cal State San Marcos
Cal State San Marcos enters the CCAA Tournament as the #6 seed, facing #3 San Francisco State in an elimination game on Wednesday, May 7th, at Noon Pacific Time. The Cougars finished the regular season with an overall record of 25-22 and a conference record of 20-18.
Team Stats
Offensively, Cal State San Marcos has shown patience at the plate, ranking among the top three in the conference in walks.
Players to Watch
Hitting:
Fisher Pyatt has been a force in the lineup, boasting an impressive OPS of 1.072 and launching 9 home runs.
Phoenix Sommay leads the team with 32 RBIs and has maintained a strong batting average of .313.
Pitching:
Nolan Long has been a reliable arm for the Cougars, pitching over 32 innings with a K/BB ratio of 4.62.
Jack Clark has also contributed significantly in his appearances, maintaining a K/BB ratio of 2.5 over 22 innings pitched.
Nate Brouse has demonstrated good control, achieving a K/BB ratio of 2.5 across 24 innings.
Cal State San Marcos will look to its key offensive contributors, Fisher Pyatt and Phoenix Sommay, to lead the charge at the plate. On the mound, the performances of pitchers like Nolan Long, Jack Clark, and Nate Brouse will be crucial as the Cougars navigate the CCAA Tournament, starting with their critical opening elimination game.
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