Overall Record 35 - 15
Conference Record 14 - 10
2007 Season Review
The 2007 Sierra College Baseball season was once again a major success on and off the field. The Wolverines tied a school record (set by the 2006 team) for most wins in a season with 35. They had an overall record of 35-15 and a conference record of 14-10 in the #1 ranked conference in California, the Big 7. All of the 2007 sophomores have committed to four-year universities, with most of them receiving scholarships. The pre-season was outstanding for Sierra as they raced out to a 15-1 record entering conference play. As of March 19, 2007 the Wolverines were ranked #1 in California and #3 in the Nation according to pgcrosschecker.com.
The Big 7 Conference proved to be very competitive as expected. Throughout the season, any given team was one game out of first place and one game from last. The best way to describe this conference is parity, from top to bottom, with each team deserving of a playoff spot. Most Big 7 coaches believed a 14-10 conference record would win the championship. For Sierra, it was good enough for a 2nd place finish.
The Wolverines were seeded fourth in Nor-Cal entering the playoffs, and hosted Modesto Junior College in the first round of a best-of-three series. In a dramatic pitcher’s duel, Modesto won the first game by the score of 3-2. The game featured two pitchers who were expected to be drafted very high in the Major League Draft. They both were, as Sierra’s David Dinelli was drafted in the 6th round by the Houston Astros and Modesto’s starter Brodie Downs was drafted by the Seattle Mariners. As of this July, Downs is already one step from the big leagues, pitching in AAA. The loss meant that Sierra would have to sweep a double header the next day. In game one, each team had the lead four times and Sierra finally came out on top by the score of 14-12. The intensity was amazing for both games and now the elimination game would follow 30 minutes after the completion of the first game. Game one of the DH lasted almost 4 hours, making it an eight hour day on the field for both teams. Pitcher Cameron Ray would make only his second start of the season for Sierra in the deciding game and pitched a complete game with 0 walks and 7 strikeouts. The final score was Sierra 8 and Modesto 2. The hitting star for the three game series was Josh Thompson who went 11-15 in the series and played outstanding defense. The victory meant that Sierra would advance to the Super Regional in Sacramento with the winner of the four team double-elimination tournament advancing to the state Final Four.
Sierra was playing the entire post-season without one of the best pitchers in California, 12 game winner from 2006 Kevin Hammon. Hammon signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Oregon State in 2008. He battled arm trouble all season and was unavailable in the post-season. They were also without the services of their “three” hitter Logan Lotti who, with one month remaining in the season, sustained a broken ankle in practice. Lotti lead the team in HR’s and RBI’s when his season ending injury occurred.
Sierra opened the Super Regional with West Valley College who was the #5 seed. The Wolverines won an exciting game by the score of 7-6. In the winners’ bracket vs. Sacramento City College, the Wolverines came up short by the score of 13-3. The loss meant that Sierra would have to win a night game against West Valley who defeated Diablo Valley College in the losers’ bracket game earlier in the day. Freshman Tyler French pitched an outstanding game and led Sierra to a 9-6 victory. The win would ensure Sierra a place in California’s Elite 8 for the third time in the past four seasons. Reliever David Brown would start the morning game on Sunday for Sierra and pitched 7 strong innings as Sierra beat Sacramento by the score of 7-2, forcing a final game of the Super Regional, with the winner advancing to the State Final Four. Sierra would come up short by the score of 9-3, but had no regrets after battling the #1 seed to the final game.
Three players made the All-Conference first team from Sierra College: pitcher Tyler Graham, outfielder Eric Deragisch and infielder Dustin LeRoy. Second team players were 1B Andy Launier, pitcher David Brown and utility player Kyle Richardson. Deragisch and LeRoy were voted to the All Nor-Cal team. Please see our transfer list on the home page of Sierra College Baseball.
We are very proud of our sophomores who are moving on to the university level and to our two players who signed professional contracts with the Houston Astros, Pitcher David Dinelli and 1B Andy Launier. Both are playing this summer in Tennessee at the Single A level.
35 wins ties school record (set in 2006)