The Cougars, the highest seeded team from the WSC-North, earned the 8th-seed in the 2023 CCCAA Regional Playoffs and host #17-seed Los Angeles Valley for a best-of-three series this weekend in SLO. The Cougars and Monarchs open on Friday (2 PM) and play Game 2 and 3, if needed, on Saturday starting at 11 AM. The visiting Monarchs finished 2nd in the Western State Conference South Division with a 23-17 overall record.
Below is a brief team prospectus for both Cuesta and LA Valley.
Cuesta College- The Cougars won their 10th Western State Conference title under Coach Bob Miller and their second in a row coming out of the pandemic. The Cougars earned the 8th seed in the CCCAA Regional Playoffs and have reached the post-season in 19 of the past 21, non-pandemic, seasons. The Cougars chasing their first playoff win since 2018 and first trip to the CCCAA State Finals since 2002.
The key to the Cougars' success this season has been their four-man starting rotation. Returning All-WSC Pitcher Justin Vose is the lone veteran in a versatile rotation that always has a second starter ready to come out of the bullpen. Vose is joined by fellow southpaws Robinson Lardner and Luigi Albano-Dito, as well as with Righty Jackson Cloud in the rotation. All four pitchers have started, at least, nine games this season. Vose is 5-1 on the season with 57 strikeouts and a 2.97 ERA in 60.2 innings of work. Lardner, who is also 5-1, owns a team-best 2.42 ERA and has two complete games to go with his team-high three saves. He also leads the staff with 71 strikeouts amassed over his 63.2 innings. Albano-Dito, also 5-1 on the season, has a save and a 2.98 ERA to his credit. Cloud leads the staff with 68 innings pitched and owns a team-best seven wins, against only two losses, with a 2.51 ERA.
The Cougars' line-up is anchored by a trio of returning all-WSC players. 2022 WSC Player of the year Zachary Tallerman commands respect in the middle of the order, where he leads the team with a .374 batting average and 20 extra-base hits. All-WSC Outfielders Ethan Royal and Mattias Sessing set the table for Tallerman. Royal leads off for Cuesta and paces the team with 48 runs scored, while also adding 18 extra-base hits and a team-high 17 stolen bases. Sessing is second on the team with a .340 average and is the team's table-setter. He is second on the team with a .423 on-base percentage and has a dozen sacrifice hits to his credit. Shortstop Victor Heredia provides stability in the middle of both the infield and batting order, while also adding depth in the bullpen. Heredia is one of three Cougars to play every game and his 34 RBI's trail only Tallerman (36) and Sessing (35). Overall, he is batting .295 on the season and leads the team with 21 extra-base hits. Heredia also has two saves and 1.59 ERA in his 5.2 innings on the mound.
Coach Bob Miller is in his 21st season with the Cougars and led his squad to the 10th WSC title of his tenure. Miller is 481-330-3 at Cuesta and is a six-time Western State Conference Coach of the year.
Los Angeles Valley College- The Monarchs are the WSC-South Runners-up and earned the 14th-seed in the 2023 CCCAA Regional Playoffs. The Monarchs' baseball team has enjoyed a resurgence coming out of the pandemic with its second straight playoff berth, after enduring a decade-long post-season draught.
LA Valley's pitching staff boasts a 4.40 ERA and is led by a trio of hurlers that should challenge the Cougars' potent offense. Sophomore Righthander Danny Veloz leads the rotation. He is 7-2 over 12 starts with a 1.64 ERA, while also striking out more than one batsman per inning. Righthander Cesar Tovar and Southpaw Drew Gustafson are expected to be the next two starters this weekend. Tovar, who has been Veloz rotation-mate all season, also boasts dozen starts, while boasting 56 innings on the hill. He owns a solid 3.97 ERA but is only 1-2 on the season. Gustafson is an even 2-2 this year with 3.22 ERA over 36.1 innings. LA Valley has a deep bullpen with a half-dozen pitchers with more than ten appearances. Relievers Brett Edwards and Josh Eigenbrodt, throwing from the right and left side respectively, will get the first calls out of the bullpen. Edwards is 1-1 with a team-high three saves on the season, while Eigenboldt boasts a perfect 3-0 record with one save of his own.
The Monarchs are batting .277 as a team and the offense averages 6.3 runs per game. They are also 21-4 when they have scored five or more runs. Catcher Bobby Velasco powers the offense and leads the team with three home runs and a .352 batting average, while joining both Max Aude and Royce Clayton Jr with a team-leading 25 runs batted in. Clayton, the son and namesake of former MLB All Star Royce Clayton, also leads the team with 21 stolen bases to go with his .279 average. Freshmen Sean David adds more power to the Monarchs' order. He is tied with Velasco with team-high 15 extra-base hits, including 13 doubles, and is second on the team with a .336 average. Sophomores Tyler Olivas (.324) and Brandon Cuervo (.300) join Velasco and David to give the Monarch's four .300 hitters in their order.
Coach Dave Mallas is in his 18th year as the leader of the Monarchs' pride. He came to LA Valley from LA Mission, where he had previously guided the Eagles, then known as the "Free Spirit", past Cuesta in the 2004 playoffs. This is his team's first trip to SLO since that playoff victory. Mallas is also a former CCCAA athlete and was part of Santa Ana's 1995 CCCAA State Championship team.
Due to being a CCCAA-sponsored Regional Playoff the prices are General Admission $12, Students/Staff/Seniors/Children $8. Programs $1
