Santa Rosa tops Orange Empire-filled CCCSIA State Baseball Top 25 Poll
(LOS ANGELES) -- Undefeated Santa Rosa Junior College, one of four Big 8 Conference teams ranked in the top 11, received 15 of 17 first-place votes as the #1 team in the first 2025 California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) State Baseball Top 25 poll.
The Bear Cubs are the state's lone undefeated team at 13-0 going into games of February 25. SRJC begins Big 8 play this week with a 3-game series v. Modesto. Santa Rosa has three state titles to its credit in 1952, 2005, and 2016.
Meanwhile, the Orange Empire Conference received great love from the SIDs as Cypress earned a first place vote and is at #2 while Saddleback, the defending 3C2A champion, also got a first place nod and is sitting at #3. The OEC has a remarkable seven teams on the top 25 including #8 Riverside City, then in a row #20 Golden West, #21 Santa Ana, #22 Fullerton, and #23 Irvine Valley.
Besides the fact that student-athletes apparently are drawn to playing in scenic Orange County, the OEC has dominated recent state champion runs as four different Orange Empire schools have won the last four state titles. Before Saddleback last year, Santa Ana won in 2023, Riverside in 2022, and Orange Coast captured the 2019 title. The 2020 and 2021 postseasons were wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saddleback previously won the California Community College championship in 2004, Santa Ana has four as they won when known as Rancho Santiago in 1993, 1995-96, and RCC also has four, winning three straight in 2000-2002.
Cerritos, winners of nine state crowns in 1966, 1970, 1973-75, 1979, 1985, 1987, 1989, stands at #4, followed by 5-time state champ Fresno City (1961-63, 1972, 1992) at #5. Mt. San Antonio rolls in at #6. The Mounties won back-to-back titles in 1964-65.
Ohlone, a champion in 2010, ranks #7, then Riverside (five state titles, 2000-2002, 2007, then in '22), followed by three Big 8 schools in #9 Sierra, #10 Folsom Lake, and #11 Cosumnes River. Of those three, Cosumnes River has tasted state title success with the 2012 championship and Sierra as well in 2008.
The SIA poll will take place every other week during the 2025 season.
CCCSIA State Baseball Top 25 Poll
| 1. | Santa Rosa JC, Big 8 (15 1st votes), 13-0 | 422 |
| 2. | Cypress, Orange Empire (1), 10-2 | 379 |
| 3. | Saddleback, Orange Empire (1), 11-3 | 361 |
| 4. | Cerritos, South Coast, 11-2 | 341 |
| 5. | Fresno City, Central Valley, 10-2 | 336 |
| 6. | Mt. San Antonio, South Coast, 11-3 | 330 |
| 7. | Ohlone, Coast South, 12-1 | 302 |
| 8. | Riverside CC, Orange Empire, 9-4 | 281 |
| 9. | Sierra, Big 8, 10-2 | 272 |
| 10. | Folsom Lake, Big 8, 10-4 | 230 |
| 11. | Cosumnes River, Big 8, 11-3 | 207 |
| 12. | Palomar, Pacific Coast Athletic, 8-5 | 198 |
| 13. | Antelope Valley, Western State South, 12-1 | 189 |
| 14. | West Valley, Coast South, 9-5 | 188 |
| 15. | Monterey Peninsula, Coast South, 10-3 | 165 |
| 16. | Chaffey, Inland Empire Athletic, 9-3-1 | 143 |
| 17. | Butte, Golden Valley, 11-6 | 139 |
| 18. | Feather River, Golden Valley, 11-6 | 98 |
| 19. | Skyline, Coast North, 9-4 | 97 |
| 20. | Golden West, Orange Empire, 9-6 | 91 |
| 21. | Santa Ana, Orange Empire, 7-5 | 90 |
| 22. | Fullerton, Orange Empire, 9-7 | 87 |
| 23. | Irvine Valley, Orange Empire, 9-4 | 82 |
| 24. | Cuesta, Western State North, 8-6 | 80 |
| 25. | Sequoias, Central Valley, 9-5 | 55 |
Also Receiving Votes: Sacramento CC 48, San Diego Mesa 47, Southwestern 42, Grossmont 39, De Anza 39, Glendale 31, Pasadena CC 28, Lassen 26, San Joaquin Delta 20, Cerro Coso 14, Bakersfield 10, Santa Barbara CC 6, Citrus 5, El Camino 4, San Mateo 3, Hartnell 1.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCSIA Executive Board