Walnut, Calif. -- Glendale and Mt. SAC will meet up this weekend in Walnut in a best-of-three So Cal Regional Final series.
Thankfully for both programs, the weather will be nearly 30 degrees cooler than last week's 100-plus degree temperature.
It was no surprise that the Mounties eventually persevered at their own Super Regional after surviving showdowns with Cuesta and Chaffey.
However, the Vaqueros could have easily been considered the underdog at last week's Cerritos Super Regional with El Camino and Cerritos.
Glendale cruised to a Western State Conference (South Division) title by eight games over second place Antelope Valley in an eight-team conference that featured just two programs with an overall record above the .500 mark.
On the flip side, Mt. SAC went 22-2 on the road to a South Coast Conference championship.
To their credit, the Vaqueros ended the seasons of both Cerritos and El Camino, who finished second and third, respectively, in the South Coast Conference.
Glendale has gone 5-2 in the postseason, including a 2-1 series victory over Long Beach in the first round.
The Vaqueros defeated Cerritos (8-3) in their only match up.
And they would go on to win two of three with El Camino.
GCC has outscored their playoff opponents by a combined margin of 83-39.
They wore the El Camino pitching staff out with 47 runs in their three games last week.
Mt. SAC swept College of the Desert, 5-0 and 8-2, respectively, in their first round series.
The Mounties have gone 5-1 in the playoffs, and they outscored Desert, Cuesta and Chaffey by a combined margin of 56-35.
After a 13-6 beatdown in which MSAC scored the game's first 13 runs last Friday, the Panthers pushed the Mounties to the limit.
They claimed a 13-7 victory in Saturday's first game.
And in the third and deciding game, Chaffey and Mt. SAC were locked in an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the ninth before the Mounties secured a walk-off win.
MSAC will host Glendale, and their 2025 home record is an impressive 27-3.
On paper, the Mounties would seem to be the favorite, but Glendale has already proven twice that games are played and won on the field.
Here is how they match up statistically:
MSAC (40) has seven more wins than Glendale.
The Mounties average margin of victory in 2025 is 12-4 as compared to 10-5 for the Vaqueros.
Mt. SAC (.372) has a 61-point advantage in team batting average, and their pitching staff boasts an ERA (3.16) that is more than a run lower than their upcoming opponent.
Glendale's one advantage seems to be its power numbers.
The Vaqueros (51) have hit 17 more home runs than the Mounties.
Offensive Comparison:
Arcadia grad Alex Dolan is Glendale's offensive stud.
The GCC leadoff batter leads the program in average (.375), hits (66) and runs scored (53).
Max Price has a team-high 50 runs batted in.
Jordan Viramontes leads both programs with 10 home runs.
Offensively, the Mounties feature Landon White, the state's leader in hits (100), doubles (32) and batting average (.461) among all state players with 120 or more at-bats.
Bryan Bradshaw is batting .415, his 80 hits is third best behind White and Chaffey's Ryder Young (90).
Bradshaw leads the state with 84 runs scored, and his seven home runs leads the program from Walnut.
Tyler Stull is hitting at a .388 clip with 64 base hits, six home runs, and his 72 RBIs is just six back of state leader Justin Tillar of Cypress.
Ty Thomas has been one of the Mounties unsung heroes, batting .392 with 78 hits, 64 runs, 63 RBIs, 23 doubles and six home runs.
Pitching Comparison:
John Trainor and Matt Cuccias lead Glendale with seven wins apiece, while Luis Fernandez has a team-high four saves.
Trainor is 7-0 with a 2.05 ERA.
He's walked 19 and struck out 41 in 44 innings
Cuccias is the workhorse.
He's 7-2 with a 3.62 ERA, 26 walks and 100 strikeouts in 77 innings.
Mt. SAC's Izeah Muniz (12-1, 2.05 ERA) is tied with Cerritos' Derek Valdez and Santa Rosa's Jordan Giacomini with a state-best 12 wins on the mound.
Muniz has walked 31 and fanned 107 batters in 92 innings.
That ties him with Los Medranos' Nathan Leffel for the state lead (strikeouts).
Hudson Castillo (10-1, 1.72 ERA, 16 walks & 57 strikeouts in 83 2/3 innings), and Brenden Menchaca (10-1, 2.66 ERA, 14 walks & 53 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings) have both been key contributors to this 40-win season.
Sam Silversmith is 2-1 win a 2.77 ERA.
He leads the Mounties with seven saves, and he's totaled 11 walks and 51 strikeouts in 39 innings.
So Cal Regional Final Schedule:
5/16: Glendale at Mt. SAC at 3
5/17: Glendale at Mt. SAC at 1
5/18: Glendale at Mt. SAC (if necessary)
By the Numbers:
Records: G (33-13-1); M (40-6)
Conference Finish: G (WSC champs); M (SCC champs)
Current Win Streak: G (1); M (1)
Last 10 Games: G (8-2); M (9-1)
Average Runs Scored Per Game: (10); M (12)
Runs Allowed Per Game: G (5); M (4)
Team ERA: G (4.23); M (3.16)
Team Batting Average: G (.311); M (.372)
Home Runs: G (51); M (33)
Player w/Highest Average (100+ at-bats): G (Alex Dolan, .375); M (Landon White, .461)
Player w/Most Hits: G (Alex Dolan, 66); M (Landon White, 100)
Player w/Most Runs: G (Alex Dolan, 53); M (Bryan Bradshaw, 84)
Player w/Most RBIs: G (Max Price, 50); M (Tyler Stull, 71)
Player w/Most Home Runs: G (Jordan Viramontes (10); M (Bryan Bradshaw, 7)
Pitcher w/Most Wins: G (Matt Cuccias, 7-2); M (Izeah Muniz, 12-1)
Pitcher w/Most Saves: G (Luis Fernandez, 4); M (Sam Silversmith, 7)
Pitcher w/Most Strikeouts: G (Matt Cuccias, 100); M (Izeah Muniz, 107)
Win Total Among All California JC's: G (33, eighth most); M (40, second most)
Final Regular Season State Poll Ranking: G (14); M (3)
Glendale's Road Record: 13-9-1
Mt. SAC's Home Record: 27-3
Glendale Batting:
Alex Dolan: .375, 66 hits, 53 runs, 46 RBIs, nine doubles, one triple & three HR's
David Lozano: .308, 53 hits, 36 runs, 42 RBIs, eight doubles, one triple & three HR's
Daniel Ruiz: .344, 53 hits, 51 runs, 29 RBIs, five doubles, one triple & three HR's
Max Price: .294, 45 hits, 46 runs, 50 RBIs, 13 doubles & nine HR's
Jordan Viramontes: .309, 46 hits, 42 runs, 43 RBIs, 10 doubles, one triple & 10 HR's
Jackson Lyons: .311, 46 hits, 40 runs, 26 RBIs, four doubles, six triples & two HR's
Ethan Pena: .292, 40 hits, 36 runs, 27 RBIs, nine doubles & five HR's
Ethan Munoz: .361, 39 hits, 31 runs, 32 RBIs, seven doubles & four HR's
Mt. SAC Batting:
Landon White: .461, 100 hits, 74 runs, 66 RBIs, 31 doubles & four HR's
Bryan Bradshaw: .415, 80 hits, 84 runs, 40 RBIs, 18 doubles, four triples & seven HR's
Ty Thomas: .392, 78 hits, 64 runs, 63 RBIs, 23 doubles, four triples & six HR's
Tyler Stull: .388, 64 hits, 55 runs, 72 RBIs, 16 doubles, one triple & six HR's
Miguel Perez: .392, 60 hits, 39 runs, 45 RBIs, six doubles, two triples & 2 HR's
Diego Ortiz: .335, 55 hits, 47 runs, 33 RBIs, four doubles & one triple
Noah Rodriguez: .385, 57 hits, 45 runs, 21 RBIs, four doubles
Cole Nachreiner: .306, 41 hits, 32 runs, 32 RBIs, 10 doubles, 2 triples & 2 HR's
Glendale Pitching:
John Trainor: 7-0, 2.05 ERA, 19 walks & 41 strikeouts in 44IP
Matt Cuccias: 7-2, 3.62 ERA, 26 walks & 100 strikeouts in 77 IP
Cris Banuelos: 4-2, 5.89 ERA, 20 walks & 32 strikeouts in 44 1/3IP
Liam Thatcher: 5-2, 4.27 ERA, 27 walks & 48 strikeouts in 52 2/3 IP
Maximo Newhart: 4-0, 3.82 ERA, seven walks & 34 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings
Luis Fernandez: 3-1 w/4 saves, 3.77 ERA, six walks & 18 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings
Mt. SAC Pitching:
Izeah Muniz: 12-1, 2.05 ERA, 31 walks & 107 strikeouts in 92 IP
Hudson Castillo: 10-1, 1.72 ERA, 16 walks & 57 strikeouts in 83 2/3 inning
Brenden Menchaca: 10-1, 2.66 ERA, 14 walks & 53 strikeouts in 64 1/3 IP
Sam Silversmith: 2-1 w/6 saves 2.77 ERA, 11 walks & 51 strikeouts in 39IP
Matt Viveros: 2-0, 3.24 ERA, 11 walks & 20 strikeouts in 25 IP
Western State Conference South Standings:
Glendale (33-13-1, 20-1)
Antelope Valley (27-15, 12-9)
LA Valley (19-20, 12-9)
Canyons (17-21, 11-10)
Bakersfield (18-21, 9-12)
Citrus (13-26, 8-13)
LA Mission (13-27, 8-13)
West LA (9-30, 4-17)
Glendale Postseason (So Cal Regional & Super Regional, 5-2):
5/2: Glendale 7, Long Beach 0
5/3: Long Beach 10, Glendale 9
5/3: Glendale 12, Long Beach 5
5/8: Glendale 23, El Camino 7
5/9: Glendale 8, Cerritos 3
5/9: El Camino 8, Glendale 7
5/10: Glendale 17, El Camino 6
5/16: Glendale at MSAC
South Coast Conference Standings:
Mt. SAC (40-6, 22-2)
Cerritos (33-11, 18-6)
El Camino (32-14, 16-8)
PCC (22-18, 12-12)
Long Beach (20-23, 12-12)
ELAC (19-22, 12-12)
Rio Hondo (11-29, 9-15)
Compton (9-30, 6-18)
LA Harbor (8-29, 1-23)
Mt. SAC Postseason (So Cal Regional & Super Regional, 5-1):
5/2: MSAC 5, Desert 0
5/3: MSAC 8, Desert 2
5/8: MSAC 14, Cuesta 6
5/9: MSAC 13, Chaffey 6
5/10: Chaffey 13, MSAC 7
5/10: MSAC 9, Chaffey 8
5/16: Glendale at MSAC
(Brian Reed-Baiotto, 210 Prep Sports)