San Jac softball and baseball headed back to national tournaments
Regional tournament wins propel San Jac back to nationals
PASADENA, Texas — The San Jacinto College softball and baseball teams are headed back to their respective National Junior College Athletic Association national tournaments after winning their regional tournaments this past weekend.
The San Jac softball team (42-14) went 3-0 at the Region XIV Tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NJCAA Softball World Series. The Coyotes defeated Paris Junior College, Tyler Junior College, and Bossier Parish College to earn their sixth appearance in the national tournament.
"We are thrilled to be returning to the NJCAA Softball World Series," said Head Coach Kelly Saenz. "Our team has worked hard on the field this season to earn this spot at the national tournament, and we look forward to getting to Arizona and playing against some of the best in the nation."
Sophomore Ronni Grofman (Kingwood/Kingwood Park HS) leads the team in batting with a .464 average. Freshman pitcher Christin Haygood (Huffman/Hargrave HS) owns a 1.35 ERA in 28 appearances on the mound.
For the baseball Gators, they return to the JUCO World Series for the 28th time in school history. San Jac (44-18) defeated Tyler Junior College and Wharton County Junior College (twice) in the Region XIX South Regional tournament and Alvin Community College in the Mid-South District Qualifier this past weekend.
San Jac is led by freshmen infielders Harold Coll (Boston, Mass./Georgia Premier Academy) and Sabin Ceballos (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico/Puerto Rico Baseball Academy HS). The pair are each hitting .350. On the mound, freshman Lex Garcia (Lubbock/Monterey HS) leads a solid pitching rotation with a 1.43 ERA.
For Baseball Head Coach Tom Arrington, returning to Grand Junction, Colo., is always special.
"This is the culmination of a season of hard work and dedication from our team," Arrington said. "They had a goal of getting back to Grand Junction to play in the JUCO World Series, and that's what they did. We're excited to be back, and we look forward to a great tournament."
The NJCAA Softball World Series takes place May 24-28 at Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex in Yuma, Arizona. The Alpine Bank JUCO World Series will be held May 28-June 4 at Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colorado. All games will be broadcast on NJCAA TV.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. San Jacinto College is among the top five community colleges in the nation as designated by the Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence, and was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. The College spans five campuses serving approximately 41,000 credit and non-credit students annually, and offers more than 200 degrees and certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. San Jacinto College's impact on the region totals $1.3 billion in added income, which supports 13,044 jobs. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA and Aa2 by Standard & Poor's and Moody's.
For more information about San Jacinto College call 281-998-6150, visit sanjac.edu or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
