El Camino Stands Out Early Among South Coast Baseball Teams In 2026

After Mt. San Antonio College made a historic run to the 3C2A state championship last season, the South Coast Conference earned some bragging rights in the sport of baseball for the first time in 20 years when Long Beach City won the 2006 title.

Now several games into the 2026 campaign, it's current state #6-ranked El Camino that could be the frontrunner in this year's race to the SCC crown.

The Warriors (7-2 overall), who last won the title in 2023, are the only conference team sitting in the CCCBCA Home Run 30 Rankings while only Pasadena City (5-4) joins them as above .500 teams for games going into Feb. 11.

El Camino has victories over #19 Cypress and #20 Golden West, but also had a 7-game win streak snapped with consecutive defeats against Golden West and still undefeated #7 Southwestern. 

ECC has one of the state's top pitchers in Adrian Pineda, who is 3-0 with a SCC-leading 1.13 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings thus far. The Warriors return All-SCC First Team utility player Slater Nunez, hitting .371 with nine RBI after nine games. 

Pasadena is paced thus far by rightfielder Luke Bauer, batting .457, and lefty starting pitcher Alex Valencia (2-0). The Lancers best win was defeating #23 Citrus, 5-4, on Jan. 24. 

PCC's Bauer in action

Cerritos (3-5) received a rude awakening when it got swept by #13 San Joaquin Delta in a 3-game series, but since the Falcons righted the ship a bit by taking 2-of-3 against #29 Bakersfield. The Falcons return SCC Pitcher of the Year Nolan Patterson and have a power-hitting catcher in Jose Perez (.353, three home runs, nine RBI).

Mt. SAC (3-7)  is definitely having a state title hangover at 3-7 despite the hitting of rightfielder Andrew Alva, who currently tops SCC batters with 15 RBI along with 2 home runs and a .405 average. 

LA Harbor (3-7) began the year on a 5-game losing streak, but is 3-2 since Jan. 31. Seahawks' reliever Danilo Meade has been consistent (1-0, 12.1 innings, 1.46 ERA).

Rio Hondo (3-7) duplicated the rough start that Harbor had (5-game losing skein) and also has played well of late, winning three of its last five contests. Outfielder Danyal Jenkins has been an on-base machine for the Roadrunners, batting .382 with three triples, eight RBI, and conference-best .571 on-base percentage including 14 walks in 10 games. 

East Los Angeles (2-7) decided to face two of the toughest competitors in current #4 Glendale and #11 Riverside City and that resulted in an 0-6 start after being swept in two 3-game series. The Huskies finally ended a 7-game losing streak with back-to-back wins over San Bernardino Valley. First baseman Phillip Chaidez is hitting a .464 clip with two homers and 12 RBI. 

Long Beach (2-7) is under new direction after long-time head coach Casey Crook retired from the Vikings' dugout after 32 years. LBCC lost the first four, won two in a row, then lost three straight including two v. Fullerton. The Vikings return All-SCC Second Team utility player Aaron Mingo, who already has three triples and seven ribbies.

Compton (1-8) stopped a 7-game losing streak to start 2026 as Gabriel Cancino pitched an 8-inning gem for a win over West LA.

The 24-game, SCC schedule begins next week with a number of 3-game series.

Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID