San Jacinto College head coach Tom Arrington (center) is shown encouraging players at the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. The baseball team finished another successful season, emerging as the undefeated Region XIV champions and placing tied for third in the nation at the national tournament. (Photo courtesy of San Jactinto College)HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 5, 2009) San Jacinto College’s baseball team recently wrapped up another successful season, dominating in the Region XIV tournament emerging as the undefeated regional champions, and then finishing tied for third in the nation at the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Despite not having a home field to play on this season, San Jac (45-11, 24-3)
finished the regular season ranked seventh in the nation by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), sixth by Perfect Game USA, and second by PG Crosschecker.
Head coach Tom Arrington and several players garnered awards for their outstanding performance on the local, regional, and national level. Arrington was named the 2009 Region XIV South Zone coach of the year, and nine players were selected on the all-conference team. Pitcher Tommy Collier, catcher Gregg Alcazar and outfielder Deric Hawkins were unanimous selections to the All-Conference team. Other San Jac players on the All-Conference team include pitcher Jacob Cowan, shortstop Ryan Burnaman, utility player Jeff Abt, and infielders Danny Hernandez, Devin Shines, and Ryan Still. San Jac players who were named to the All-Region team include Collier, Burnaman, Hawkins, and Alcazar (who was also named the Region XIV Defensive Player of the Year).
Players who were named on the JUCO All-Tournament team include Cowan, Hawkins,
and Shines. Cowan also received the JUCO Robert Purkey Most Valuable Pitcher award, while Hawkins earned the JUCO Rawlings Big Stick Top Hitter award. San Jac claimed the Region XIV title after a convincing 15-3 win over Texarkana College on May 12 in Brenham, advancing to its 20th World Series, which was held May 23-30 in Grand Junction, Colorado.
San Jac dominated throughout the regional tournament, winning four consecutive games and outscoring opposing teams 35-10. Arrington especially relished the regional title run because of the obstacles the team faced this season, including John Ray Harrison Field – home of San Jac baseball – being out of commission due to a renovation project.
“Winning this particular tournament is very rewarding, considering the adversities we had to overcome – our field being renovated and not available,” he commented. “It’s a testament to the complete desire and commitment that our players demonstrated the entire season. Overcoming these kinds of adversities has been a key to our success this season.”
The return trip to the JUCO World Series was the sixth in the last eight years for San Jac, and the 20th in the program’s history. It also marked the sixth time Arrington took a team to the national tournament.
At the national tournament in Colorado, San Jac got off to a great start, relying on their patented combination of solid pitching and timely hitting to defeat nationally ranked Spartanburg Methodist College 7-1, and highly regarded Santa Fe College 9-4 in the first two games.
In the third game, San Jac came very close to handing the tournament powerhouse Howard College its only defeat. In the end San Jac lost a seesaw slugfest 12-11 to the eventual national champion. Howard ended the 2009 season with an astonishing 63-1 record, the best mark of any championship team in the history of NJCAA baseball. The Hawks also set a NJCAA record for most consecutive wins with their 57-game winning streak earlier in the year.
In game four, San Jac was eliminated from the national tournament with a 12-4 loss in a rematch with Santa Fe (the team that finished as the tournament runner-up) in what would be the only game that San Jac lost by a wide margin throughout the regional or the national tournaments.
Coach Arrington reflected on the team’s third place JUCO World Series finish with mixed emotions. “We certainly wanted to go farther in the national tournament and it’s not the way we wanted to end the season, but at least we did end the season in Grand Junction at the World Series,” he commented. “We were very proud to be here and to represent San Jacinto College, one of the greatest baseball programs in the nation. We’re proud of our tradition, and this is what we always strive for. We’ll be back, and we’ll keep pursuing the ultimate dream of winning a national title.”
finished the regular season ranked seventh in the nation by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), sixth by Perfect Game USA, and second by PG Crosschecker.
Head coach Tom Arrington and several players garnered awards for their outstanding performance on the local, regional, and national level. Arrington was named the 2009 Region XIV South Zone coach of the year, and nine players were selected on the all-conference team. Pitcher Tommy Collier, catcher Gregg Alcazar and outfielder Deric Hawkins were unanimous selections to the All-Conference team. Other San Jac players on the All-Conference team include pitcher Jacob Cowan, shortstop Ryan Burnaman, utility player Jeff Abt, and infielders Danny Hernandez, Devin Shines, and Ryan Still. San Jac players who were named to the All-Region team include Collier, Burnaman, Hawkins, and Alcazar (who was also named the Region XIV Defensive Player of the Year).
Players who were named on the JUCO All-Tournament team include Cowan, Hawkins,
and Shines. Cowan also received the JUCO Robert Purkey Most Valuable Pitcher award, while Hawkins earned the JUCO Rawlings Big Stick Top Hitter award. San Jac claimed the Region XIV title after a convincing 15-3 win over Texarkana College on May 12 in Brenham, advancing to its 20th World Series, which was held May 23-30 in Grand Junction, Colorado.
San Jac dominated throughout the regional tournament, winning four consecutive games and outscoring opposing teams 35-10. Arrington especially relished the regional title run because of the obstacles the team faced this season, including John Ray Harrison Field – home of San Jac baseball – being out of commission due to a renovation project.
“Winning this particular tournament is very rewarding, considering the adversities we had to overcome – our field being renovated and not available,” he commented. “It’s a testament to the complete desire and commitment that our players demonstrated the entire season. Overcoming these kinds of adversities has been a key to our success this season.”
The return trip to the JUCO World Series was the sixth in the last eight years for San Jac, and the 20th in the program’s history. It also marked the sixth time Arrington took a team to the national tournament.
At the national tournament in Colorado, San Jac got off to a great start, relying on their patented combination of solid pitching and timely hitting to defeat nationally ranked Spartanburg Methodist College 7-1, and highly regarded Santa Fe College 9-4 in the first two games.
In the third game, San Jac came very close to handing the tournament powerhouse Howard College its only defeat. In the end San Jac lost a seesaw slugfest 12-11 to the eventual national champion. Howard ended the 2009 season with an astonishing 63-1 record, the best mark of any championship team in the history of NJCAA baseball. The Hawks also set a NJCAA record for most consecutive wins with their 57-game winning streak earlier in the year.
In game four, San Jac was eliminated from the national tournament with a 12-4 loss in a rematch with Santa Fe (the team that finished as the tournament runner-up) in what would be the only game that San Jac lost by a wide margin throughout the regional or the national tournaments.
Coach Arrington reflected on the team’s third place JUCO World Series finish with mixed emotions. “We certainly wanted to go farther in the national tournament and it’s not the way we wanted to end the season, but at least we did end the season in Grand Junction at the World Series,” he commented. “We were very proud to be here and to represent San Jacinto College, one of the greatest baseball programs in the nation. We’re proud of our tradition, and this is what we always strive for. We’ll be back, and we’ll keep pursuing the ultimate dream of winning a national title.”
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