SCCBL Update: July 5th

With a month of the season gone and just three weeks until the playoffs, the SCC standings remain relatively close. While the Palm Springs POWER hold a three game lead over the second-place Athletics, just five and a half games separate the second (Athletics), third (Azusa Pirates), fourth (LA Thrashers), and fifth (Inland Empire Aces) place squads. The East LA Dodgers remain 10.5 games out of first, although they’ve certainly put up a good fight each time they take the field.

The Dodgers own three conference victories, one each against the Aces, Athletics, and Pirates. The team, led by Brent Lavoie, is steadily improving, as marked by their four total wins coming in a span of six games from June 16^th through the 25^th.

The Inland Empire Aces grabbed their two conference wins in a short time span as well, beating the Dodgers on June 14^th and edging out the Athletics by a score of 8-7 on the 21^st.

The LA Thrashers are improving under the leadership of Larry Reynolds. With a determined team that’s working together well, they’ve beaten the Dodgers thrice and picked up another win by dowing the Pirates 2-1 on the 11^th of June.

The Pirates are one of just two teams (other being the POWER) in the division to have beaten each of their division foes. They completed that five-team checklist with their June 25^th victory over the Athletics.

That Athletics squad earned the W in five of their past six games and will take on the Dodgers today.

The Palm Springs POWER were listed as an honorable mention in PerfectGame’s ranking of the top summer collegiate teams, and own a 12-1 in-conference record. Shortstop Evan Boyd, from Mercer University, keeps frustrating pitchers, hitting .395/.489/.500 while providing smooth defense up the middle. Scott Simmons and Tony Guerra have been a shutdown duo for the POWER in the late innings, combining for 44 strikeouts in 33 innings while allowing a grand total of just 16 baserunners.

Each team will battle it out until July 26^th when the three-game playoff will begin, as two teams duke it out for the League Championship.