Mt. San Antonio retains top state softball ranking

Previous Polls

GLENDORA - After slipping to No. 4 in the second poll of the 2019 season, defending CCCAA State Champs, Mt. San Antonio College retained the No. 1 overall ranking in the State and Southern California for the third iteration of the California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association State and Regional Poll. Cypress College would stay at No. 2 in the State, but fell to No. 2 in the South, while College of San Mateo would sneak back in front of Monterey Peninsula College for the No. 3 spot in the State and No. 1 ranking in Northern California. The aforementioned Lobos fell to No. 4 in the State and No. 2 in NorCal, while Palomar College rounded out the Top 5 in the State.

It's familiar territory for the Mounties who have won 12 straight since dropping their season opener to San Mateo by a single run on a neutral field. Since then, Mt. SAC has gone on to pick up wins over No. 2 Cypress, No. 5 Palomar, and No. 10 El Camino. The win over Cypress, has given the Chargers their only loss of the year, while Palomar has only lost to both Cypress and Mt. SAC.

In Southern California, the normally tough Orange Empire Conference has seemingly flexed even more muscle than normal, nabbing six spots in the SoCal Top 10. Fullerton College sits at No. 4, while Santiago Canyon is No. 5. Santa Ana College meanwhile is ranked No. 7, with Orange Coast College checking into the rankings for the first time this season sitting at No. 8. Rounding out the OEC contingent is Riverside City College who is ranked No. 10 this time around.

In the North, Monterey Peninsula remains the lone unbeaten team in the State but still fell a spot, albeit by the slimmest of margins. While the Lobos remain undefeated, it's hard to argue with San Mateo's resume, as the Bulldogs own four wins over teams ranked in the State Top 15. Reedley College retained it's spot inside the NorCal Top 5, staying at No. 3, while San Joaquin Delta College slipped a pair of spots to No. 4. Rounding out the Top 5 is perennial favorite Sierra College.

While the majority of the NorCal Top 10 is just a shuffling of spots, there are two new teams in this edition of the poll. Fresno City College, despite being two games under .500, checks in this poll at No. 9. The Rams have played an absolutely brutal schedule, with all five of their six losses coming to teams in the NorCal Top 10. Joining Fresno as a new team in this week's poll is fast rising Foothill College. The Owls have won 12 straight games, and lead the State with 16 wins. Arguably even more impressive is how Foothill has been winning games, as the Owls hold the State's best run differential and are +113 on the year, just leading Monterey Peninsula who is second in the State at +110.

(Andrew Wheeler, 3CFCA)