Non-Profit Baseball Club

Palm Springs, CA- The Orange County Pioneers earn their first ever SCCBL Title against the Palm Springs Power on a warm and beautiful Thursday night at the former Spring Trainining home of the Los Angeles Angels.   It was the perfect setting for their first championship as the Pioneers got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.  Thomas Hoenshell (Cal State Bakersfield) threw a perfect 6 innings until Power Catcher Rickey Gingras hit a flare double past a diving David Silvas in right field.  The Power gave the Pioneers a scare in the eighth inning when Power 3rd Baseman Chett Zeise hit a bases clearing triple, followed by an rbi single by pinch hitter Brett Hambright.  With a close score of 5-4, left handed pitcher Gabe Garcia (Cal State Bakersfiled) held the charge by striking out the last batter he faced, leaving the final work to Right handed closer Josh Feit(Brown Univeristy.)

"It was a hard fought battle, one that I am glad that we came out on the winners side.  This shows that our program is headed in the right direction by beating one of the top collegiate summer teams in the country" says Head Coach Jameson Wicks. "Without gutsy performances from our pitching staff and timely hitting by our offense, we would not be winners today."

The Pioneers return to action Sunday vs. Conejo Oaks at Cal Lutheran, then travel to Sinsheimer Stadium for a 3 game series vs. the San Luis Obispo Blues. "This has been a crazy last couple of weeks.  We are playing some of the top teams in the country.  It's perfect for our guys play at this level.  It's what we are all about!" says Coach Wicks.