Stacked Conference Set to Compete
With seven teams ranked in the most recent state baseball polls, the Orange Empire Conference is (once again) one of the top conferences in the state and an OEC championship is a huge feather in the cap to whomever survives this upcoming 21-game gauntlet of contests.
With seven different state champions from five different teams out of the past 11 years coming from this conference, it's anyone's guess which program will come out on top.
In order of nonconference records, here is a team-by-team capsule of each squad.
SADDLEBACK (12-4, State Rank, No. 3) – The defending state champs have had no championship hangover in 2025 and come in with plenty of firepower on both sides of the game. Winners of four of their past five games, the Bobcats come in with the second-best team ERA (3.90) and once the bats end up at full throttle, this will be a team with another deep run in the playoffs in them.
Sophomore Jacob Beauchaine is already in top form for the Bobcat offense, batting .369 with 24 hits, 18 runs, 12 extra-base hits, including six home runs and 19 RBI. Freshman Dmitri Susidko comes into OEC play with a .343 average, 23 hits, 17 runs and 12 RBI, while teammate James Derflinger adds to the numbers with a .303 average, 20 hits, three HR and 18 RBI.
Sophomore starter Jack Wade enters OEC play with a bit of an inflated ERA (6.23), but the stuff is there as his 40 strikeouts in just 21 2/3 innings would indicate. Freshman Jaden Sekhon has been solid early on with a 2-0 record, a 1.42 ERA and 19 K's over 19 innings. Relievers Jace Barajas (3-0 and Adam Roldan (0-0, 3.00 ERA) have a combined five saves and 32 strikeouts over 26 innings of late-inning work
RIVERSIDE (12-4, State Rank, No. 8) – It's been another solid year for the Tigers, who come into OEC play winners of three straight after a couple of tough losses to Palomar and Grossmont.
Freshman Bubba Heidler has led the way for the RCC offense with a .382 average, including a team-best 26 hits to go along with 19 runs a home run and 15 RBI. Close behind is sophomore Marc DiCarlo Jr. with 24 hits, a .462 average, and a team-best 24 RBI, with 15 RBI coming over his past nine games.
The strength of the Tigers in 2025 comes from the pitching mound, where RCC as several strong arms, led by freshman Jorge Rodriguez, who is 3-1 with a 1.30 ERA this year, allowing just four earned runs over 27 1/3 innings with just five walks and 23 strikeouts. Sophomore Evan Stratton is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts over 18 innings of work. Starter/reliever Jake Valenzuela could be a difference-maker for the Tigers after going 1-2 with a save and a 1.52 ERA with 16 strikeouts over his 17 2/3 innings.
CYPRESS (11-4, State Rank No. 2) – A rough couple of games against Canyons have the Chargers on a rare 2-game skid after starting the season 11-2, but this team will be ready to take on a major role into who wins the OEC in 2025.
Cypress swings the bats well as a .322 team batting average would indicate, and SIX different Cypress players have over a hit-per-game average, including sophomores Luke Matlock (.477, 21 hits, 13 RBI) and Evan Rolbiecki (.377, 20 hits, 14 RBI). Freshman slugger Justin Tillar has immediately enjoyed this level of baseball and enters OEC play with a .358 average, 8 home runs (2nd in the state) and 29 RBI.
The Chargers' 1-2 starting punch of Tommy McGuire and Brandon Wyland will give the opposition a tough time to win series this year. McGuire is 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA with 29 strikeouts over 25 innings, while Wyland is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA and 19 Ks over 22 1/3 innings.
IRVINE VALLEY (12-5, State Rank No. 23) – Longtime head coach Kent Madole brings a solid 2025 squad to the OEC party. Winners of three in a row and 6-of-8 heading into OEC play, the Lasers have been led at the plate all season by freshman infielder Jake Amundson, who is batting .413 with 31 hits, seven doubles, eight stolen bases and 20 RBI. The Lasers like to use the stolen base and gap-to-gap hitting as their 44 doubles and 38 stolen bases show. Freshman Sam Tucci is a 20-hit performer through the first 17 games with a .303 average, while Chase Quezada is a perfect 13-of-13 in stolen bases.
Freshman Christian Viggiano has been lights out for IVC with a 2-1 record and a microscopic 1.00 ERA this year, allowing just three earned runs over his first 27 innings of work. Sophomore Jackson Chastain is 2-1 with a save and a 2.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings. Late-inning guy, Zack Marker has earned three saves and notched 12 strikeouts over his 18 2/3 innings.
GOLDEN WEST (11-6, State Rank No. 20) – The defending OEC champions enter conference play strong and confident, sporting the conference's team batting average at .331. The Rustlers have been riding those bats throughout the nonconference, scoring 41 runs over their past three games.
NINE different Rustlers have a over a hit-per-game average and are led by sophomore Jonny Rodriguez, who has a team-best 28 hits, seven doubles and a .394 batting average. Run producer Dennis Fitzpatrick has a team-best 24 runs to go along with 25 hits and a .373 average, while slugger Bryan Martinez has a team-best six home runs to go along with a team-best 21 RBI.
The Rustlers have a pair of arms atop their starting rotation that include freshman Travis Maxwell and JJ Robles. Maxwell is 2-2 with a 3.98 ERA, while Robles is 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 19 innings. Reliever David Ladjevic has 16 Ks over just 10 innings and the squad as a whole averages more than a strikeout per inning, but 102 walks in 148 innings is also a bit of a concern.
SANTA ANA (9-6, State Rank No. 21) – The Dons, state champions from just two seasons ago, are coming in with some positive vibes, winning six of their last seven games.
The offense has struggled a bit (.266 team average), but a pair of Dons – Christian Altamirano and Ken Tomitaka – have been steady throughout the nonconference stretch. Tomitaka is hitting .420 with 21 hits in 50 at-bats with 12 runs and 10 RBI, while Altamirano is batting .333 with 21 hits, 11 runs and 10 RBI.
SAC starter Andrew Parker has been the innings guy this year, going 2-3 with a 5.87 ERA and a team-best 30 2/3 innings with 19 strikeouts along the way. Keep an eye on sophomore Spencer Johnsen, who is 1-0 with a save and a 3.79 ERA with 25 strikeouts in just 19 innings and Kalani Santos with a 2-1 record and 19 Ks over his 16 innings.
FULLERTON (10-9, State Rank No. 22) – Another squad who likes to beat you with the offense, the Hornets have an impressive .318 team average with a conference-best 70 extra-base hits in just 19 games.
Freshman catcher Nate Pone has been on fire to kick off the 2025 season, posting a .451 batting average, 32 hits (5th in the state), 27 runs and 13 stolen bases. Sophomore Trevor Schmidt has racked up 31 hits in just 19 games for a .413 average with 22 runs and a team-best 29 RBI, with sophomore Jake Larson adding to the depth with a .381 average, 24 hits and 16 runs scored.
While the team ERA has been rough for Fullerton in 2025 (6.09), the Hornets have a pair of quality arms at the top of the rotation, freshmen Sage Nelson (1-2, 4.97 ERA, 19 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings) and Julian Castro (1-1, 4.71 ERA). Sophomore Manny Lopez is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA out of the bullpen with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings, while Christian Valent has 14 Ks in 7 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.
ORANGE COAST (5-11) – It was a rough go during the nonconference portion for the OCC Pirates as they have struggled to put together an all-around performance from the mound or from the plate. Coast is coming into OEC play after a nice, come-from-behind, 10-7 win over L.A. Valley and as we all now, everyone can beat everyone in this conference at any given time.
Freshman outfielder Tyler Covington has been a steady hitter for the Pirates this year with a .353 average, 18 hits, 13 runs, three HR and 11 RBI, while Andrew Chorbagian is close behind with 15 hits, 12 runs, 10 RBI and a .357 average.
Sophomore Zach DenDekker has been strong for the Pirates, going 1-1 with a complete game and a 2.88 ERA, striking out 30 batters in 25 innings. As a whole, the Pirate staff has 127 strikeouts in 136 innings, but 76 walks and 42 hit batters have added to the game-by-game stress.
Release by Tony Altobelli, Orange Coast