The Los Medanos College baseball team’s regular season has officially come to an end, but the fun is just beginning. The Mustangs won the Bay Valley Conference with a record of 16-5 in conference and 28-14 overall, qualifying them for the CCCAA Baseball Championships Playoffs. 

Down the final stretch of the season, LMC had to hold off Marin College to claim their conference championship, winning the conference by one game. The Mustangs didn’t lose a single series in conference play, crucial to the final outcome of becoming Bay Valley champs. LMC Athletic Director Richard Villegas spoke about the success of the program as a whole.

“This is the third championship in a row for our baseball program,” Villegas said. “Under Head Coach Anthony D’Albora’s leadership our baseball team has qualified for post season play seven times in the past 10 years.”

The coaching of D’Albora helped this team secure the number eight seed in the CCCAA playoffs, which set up an eight vs. nine seed matchup against Merced College. The Mustangs were able to make quick work of Merced, winning the first two games of the three-game series with scores of 14-10 and 15-2.

“There’s plenty of guys having statistically good seasons,” A’lbora said. “But I’d say I’m more proud they’ve continued to find ways to keep it simple and keep competing for all the little wins each day.”

The Mustangs now prepare for a second round series against the No. 1 seed Ohlone College. Ohlone put up an impressive 20-0 record in their conference and overall record of 40-3. Catcher and outfielder Bubba Rocha talked about the team’s feelings on the tall task ahead.

“The team’s emotions can be summed up in one word, and that’s grateful,” Rocha said. “Everyone is just happy to be given the chance to compete against opposing competitors that have shown they have a talented squad.”

Rocha explained how the team has grown since the start of the season, when they lost five of their first seven games. The Mustangs were able to bounce back, winning six of their next seven, getting into the rhythm they would ride the remainder of the season.

“Although we didn’t start off very hot at the beginning of the season, it allowed us to learn one another’s strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “As the season went on, we began to mesh which led us to continue to win more series.”

LMC will play the best out of three game series at Ohlone with game one on Friday, May 13 at 2 p.m., game two on May 14 at 1 p.m., and, if necessary, game three on May 15 at noon. Admission for identified students, senior citizens and children under the age of 12 start at $8 while general admissions start at $12. The Mustangs look to perform the upset and keep their successful season alive by advancing to the third round of the CCCAA playoffs.