2024-25 SMCC Baseball News
New York Yankees Select Former Cougar Core Jackson in 2025 MLB Draft
July 14, 2025
The New York Yankees drafted former South Mountain Community College baseball player Core Jackson in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft with the 164th pick. A 6-2 infielder from Wyoming, Ontario, Canada, Jackson earned 2023 Second Team All-ACCAC honors for SMCC before transferring to the University of Utah for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Arizona Diamondbacks Select Former Cougar Raul Garayzar in 2025 MLB Draft
July 14, 2025
The Arizona Diamondbacks selected former South Mountain Community College baseball pitcher Raul Garayzar in the 18th round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft with the 543rd pick. A 6-4 right-handed pitcher from Rio Rico, Ariz., Garayzar spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Cougars before transferring to the University of Arizona for the 2024 and 2025 campaigns.
Todd Eastin Named 2025 ABCA/ATEC NJCAA DIv. II West Region Coach of the Year
July 01, 2025
South Mountain Community College baseball head coach Todd Eastin received the 2025 ABCA/ATEC NJCAA Division II West Region Coach of the Year award, the American Baseball Coaches Association and ATEC announced in late June. Eastin led the Cougars to an ACCAC Division II Regular Season Championship, the Region I Division II Tournament Championship, and the NJCAA Division II West District Championship, which resulted in a trip to the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series. He also eclipsed 800 career victories during the 2025 campaign, a season in which SMCC finished 47-19 overall and 33-7 in ACCAC Division II play and received ACCAC Division II and NJCAA Division II West District Coach of the Year honors.
Luis Martin Romero Wins DII Baseball ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award
June 18, 2025
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Luis Martin Romero won a 2025 NJCAA DII Baseball ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove award after posting a perfect fielding percentage from the mound in 20 chances this season. Romero did not commit an error in his time in a Cougar uniform and also won the 2025 ACCAC Division II Pitcher of the Year honors after helping lead SMCC to the ACCAC Division II Regular Season Championship, the Region I Division II Tournament Championship, and the NJCAA Division II West District Championship which resulted in a trip to the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series.
Raul Parada Named NJCAA & ABCA/Rawlings Division II First Team All-American
June 12, 2025
Sophomore Raul Parada received NJCAA and American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings (ABCA) First Team All-American honors after a stellar 2025 season for the South Mountain Community College baseball team. An outfielder from Mesa, Ariz., Parada batted .395 with a 1.015 OPS, 62 runs, 101 hits, 24 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 67 RBIs, 30 walks and five stolen bases in 66 games for the Cougars as SMCC won the ACCAC Division II Regular Season Championship, the NJCAA Region I Division II Tournament Championship, and the NJCAA Division II West District Championships while advancing to the NJCAA Division II World Series.
SMCC Baseball Announces Summer Prospect Camp
May 29, 2025
Fresh off an appearance in the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series, the South Mountain Community College baseball team will host a Summer Prospect Camp at the SMCC Baseball Field on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Cougar Baseball's Season Comes to a Close with 5-2 Loss to Southeastern CC
May 26, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team (47-19) lost 5-2 to Southeastern CC (IA) in an elimination game Monday afternoon at the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Freshman Bryan Lorenz had two RBIs, and freshman Bobby Pierce Jr. and sophomore Joe Terranova scored runs, but the Blackhawks hit a two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to break a 2-2 tie. SMCC would bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but SECC got the final three outs to eliminate the Cougars.
East Central CC Edges SMCC Baseball 10-9 at Division II World Series
May 25, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team (47-18) lost 10-9 to East Central CC (MS) Sunday morning at the NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Ballpark in Enid, Okla. Drew Johnson, Bryan Lorenz, and Bobby Pierce Jr. homered to help the Cougars erase a 6-0 deficit and tie the game at 9-9 in the bottom of the eighth. However, the Warriors pushed across the winning run on a two-out single in the ninth and turned a double play to end the game, and SMCC's comeback hopes in the bottom half.
NJCAA Division II World Series Information Page
May 19, 2025
Cougar Baseball Wins Division II West District Championship
May 17, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team (47-17) won the decisive game three of the NJCAA Division II West District Championship 10-9 over South Arkansas College on Saturday, May 17 at the SMCC Baseball Field. With the series win over the Stars, the Cougars have earned an automatic bid to the 2025 NJCAA Division II World Series at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Oklahoma, from May 24-31.
SMCC Baseball Wins Region I Division II Championship
May 11, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team (45-16) defeated Pima CC 9-1 (7 innings) on May 8 and 11-6 on May 9 to win the NJCAA Region I Division II Championship and advance to the West District Championships May 15-17 at SMCC. Luis Martin Romero, the ACCAC DII Pitcher of the Year, tossed a three-hit complete game, Bryan Lorenz and Marcus Romero had three hits apiece, and Drew Johnson had four RBIs in the game-one victory. In game two, Lorenz, who was named Regional MVP, had three more hits including a two-run home run, and Christopher Mata tossed 3.2 innings of relief to lift the Cougars to the Regional Title.
SMCC Baseball Defeats Chandler-Gilbert CC to Advance to Region I Championship
May 05, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team (43-16) won two of three games against Chandler-Gilbert CC in the Region I Division II Semifinal series at the SMCC Baseball Field from May 1-3. After the Coyotes posted a 12-7 victory in the series' first game, the Cougars rallied for a dramatic 9-8 win on May 2 and posted an 11-5 victory on May 3 to advance to the upcoming Region I Division II Championship Series. SMCC will host Pima CC in a best-of-three series at the SMCC Baseball Field, with games at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9, with a noon contest on Saturday, May 10 if necessary.
NJCAA Region I Division II Baseball Tournament Information
April 29, 2025
Info Page for NJCAA Region I Division II Playoff at SMCC.
Cougar Baseball Collect Multiple ACCAC Division II Awards
April 29, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team won multiple major awards and received multiple First Team All-ACCAC Division II honors for its play on the field during the 2025 season. Sophomore Raul Parada received Player of the Year honors, sophomore Luis Martin Romero earned Pitcher of the Year honors, SMCC head coach Todd Eastin received Coach of the Year honors, and Luke Jones, Bobby Pierce Jr., Joe Terranova, and Bryan Lorenz joined Parada and Romero in receiving First Team All-ACCAC Division II honors. Sophomore relief pitcher Matt Elliot earned Second Team honors and Jones, Romero, and Terranova received Gold Glove Nominations.
SMCC Baseball Concludes Regular Season with Win over Phoenix College
April 28, 2025
The South Mountain Community College baseball team (41-15, 33-7 ACCAC) defeated Phoenix College 11-3 (7 innings) in an ACCAC home game on Saturday, April 26. Sophomore Maxton Peck hit a three-run home run, sophomore Raul Parada had two hits and two RBIs, and freshman Nuri Todd went 2 for 2 with two runs, an RBi, and a double as the Cougars successfully wrapped up the regular season with a victory on Sophomore Day. The day before, SMCC fell 12-0 (5 innings) at Pima CC in the Cougars' final ACCAC road game.