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Record's Playoff Predictions: Which SJ County prep baseball teams are SJS playoff bound?

shannon mia belt, the stockton record
·8 min read

All the innings played, long days of practices, and dogfight matchups have led up to this.

The Sac-Joaquin Section baseball playoffs.

Teams across the 209 have been on a mission all season long trying to earn their spot in the playoff brackets, longing to bring a blue banner back home.

Last season the lone team to pull this off was Ripon Christian who took down Turlock Christian 11-3 to win the Division 7 championship. St. Mary’s and Lincoln were the other teams to get close to a section title losing in the Division 1 semifinals last year.

With a revived shot at the playoffs just days away, the Record has decided to predict which San Joaquin County baseball teams are SJS playoff-bound and on the bubble.

The top four teams from the Valley Oak League and Southern Athletic League will qualify for the playoffs. Only the top three teams qualify for playoffs from the Central California Athletic Association, San Joaquin Athletic Association, Western Athletic Conference, Trans Valley, and Tri-City Athletic Leagues.

Franklin's Gabe Urrea hits a single during a varsity baseball game at Stagg in Stockton on Thursday, Mar. 23, 2023.
Franklin's Gabe Urrea hits a single during a varsity baseball game at Stagg in Stockton on Thursday, Mar. 23, 2023.

(Listed in order by division)

Division 1

Franklin (13-10)

The Yellowjackets are looking to snag the final SJAA qualifying playoff spot as they sit tied for third place with Linden. They hold an 8-4 league record and will need to get past Edison to secure a spot in the D1 bracket.

Leading Franklin has been senior Rey Martinez who can be a threat on both sides of the ball. He leads the team in batting average (.426), hits (26) and ERA (1.50). If Franklin can win out it’ll be its first playoff appearance since 2018.

Lincoln (15-9-2)

The Trojans have worked their way up to second place in the TCAL holding a 9-5 record with two more games to go. They will make their third consecutive Division 1 playoff appearance and will look to go further than last season this go-round.

Lincoln made a deep run last year losing in the semifinals to Franklin in a best-of-three series, 2-0. It will need key contributions from senior Diego Davis who has the Trojans hottest bat. Senior pitcher Raymond Olivas will look to get things done on the mound.

Mountain House's Tommy Neri hits a double during a varsity baseball game against Lodi at Tony Zupo Field in Lodi on Tuesday, May, 9, 2023. Lodi won 6-4.
Mountain House's Tommy Neri hits a double during a varsity baseball game against Lodi at Tony Zupo Field in Lodi on Tuesday, May, 9, 2023. Lodi won 6-4.

Mountain House (17-8)

Newcomers to the Division 1 bracket are the Mustangs who competed in Division 2 last year. They lost to Lodi in the first round of the playoffs and are on the hunt for redemption this time around.

Mountain House is tied for first place in the WAC with Los Banos with an 11-2 league record. If the Mustangs can win their final game against Ceres on May 1 they will get a share of the WAC championship. Senior Noah Elizondo will be their go-to in this game as he leads his team in just about every offensive stat.

St. Mary’s (21-5)

No TCAL team has caught the Rams slipping this year as they bulldozed their way to a 13-0 league record. They have been locked in all season earning them a No. 2 SJS ranking and making them a huge threat in the Division 1 bracket.

A key reason behind St. Mary’s success has been its loaded batting lineup that has five players batting over .400. Along with its relentless offense, it has a solid group of pitchers who don’t give teams a ton to work with. Leading them on the mound this season has been senior Michael Quedens and sophomore Nico Bavaro who have six wins on the mound each.

St. Mary's Nico Bavaro delivers a pitch during a varsity baseball game against Lodi at Kofu Park in Lodi on Apr. 3, 2024.
St. Mary's Nico Bavaro delivers a pitch during a varsity baseball game against Lodi at Kofu Park in Lodi on Apr. 3, 2024.

Division 2

Bear Creek (13-11)

The top dog of the SJAA this season is the Bruins. They are just two games away from a league section championship with just one league loss this season giving them a 11-1 record.

Bear Creek will look to carry that success over to the postseason where it has struggled. Last season the Bruins couldn’t get past the first round but with a stingy pitcher leading them it could be the difference maker. Senior Aaron Bayhon leads them on the mound with two no-hitters this season.

Lodi's Santino Ramirez hits a single during varsity baseball game against St. Mary's at Kofu Park in Lodi on Apr. 3, 2024.
Lodi's Santino Ramirez hits a single during varsity baseball game against St. Mary's at Kofu Park in Lodi on Apr. 3, 2024.

Lodi (15-9)

It hasn’t been easy for Lodi to pick up wins in the gauntlet that is the TCAL but it’s got the job done. The Flames sit in third place of the league with a 7-5 record and two games ahead of fourth place Tracy.

They will need to get through three more league games to lock them into the Division 2 bracket. A player who can help lead them through the final stretch of the regular season is senior pitcher Brent Godina. He is ranked 13th in the SJS in batters struck out with 76 Ks this season.

On the bubble: Tracy (13-11)

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East Union’s Ryan Guibor is surrounded by teammates after hitting an inside-the-park home run during a game between Weston Ranch and East Union High at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton, CA
East Union’s Ryan Guibor is surrounded by teammates after hitting an inside-the-park home run during a game between Weston Ranch and East Union High at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton, CA

Division 3

East Union (16-10)

In a loaded VOL, East Union held its own all season long working its way to an 8-7 league record. The Lancers are in third place with an 8-7 record and closing out the regular season with a big-time upset over Manteca, 4-2.

Sophomore Kirk Simoni led their offense past the Buffaloes finishing the game with a team-high two runs, two hits, and an RBI. He and the Lancers' other offensive weapons will be a team to watch in the Division 3 bracket.

Manteca (18-8-1)

Manteca may have had a sour ending to the regular season but it was stellar throughout. The Buffaloes maintained their No. 2 ranking in the Record’s Top 10 prep baseball teams rankings for five weeks working their way to fourth place in the VOL.

Leading them this season has been senior outfielder Rex Watson. The San Diego State commit has the Buffaloes' highest batting (.440) and leads them in runs (35), hits (40), stolen bases (15) and home runs (4).

Weston Ranch Head Coach David Hager takes a visit to the mound.during a game between Weston Ranch and East Union High at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton, CA
Weston Ranch Head Coach David Hager takes a visit to the mound.during a game between Weston Ranch and East Union High at Weston Ranch High School in Stockton, CA

Weston Ranch (15-10)

For the first time in a long time, the Cougars are in the postseason conversation. After having a losing record for years, they hold a 15-10 overall record and are ranked second in the SJAA with an impressive 10-2 league record.

Weston Ranch is a shoo-in for the Division 3 bracket testing its regular season success on the big stage. It will look to junior Dominik Makinano to lead its offense. He leads them with a .439 batting average, 24 RBIs and two home runs.

On the bubble: Linden (12-9)

Linden's Dax Weber hits a double during a varsity baseball game at Stagg in Stockton on Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023.
Linden's Dax Weber hits a double during a varsity baseball game at Stagg in Stockton on Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023.

Division 4

Escalon (14-10)

Another newcomer in a higher division is the Cougars who have been bumped up from Division 5 to Division 4. They started the year slow but once TVL play started there was no stopping them. Escalon holds an impressive 9-1 TVL record and is looking to secure second place.

Standing in its way is a team that’s almost always in its way, long-time rival Ripon. The Cougars will take on their foes to close out the regular season and see who gets higher seeding in the playoffs. They will look to its solid offense led by senior Jamin Miller to get them past the Indians.

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Ripon (15-8)

The Indians have been a solid team working their way to third place in the TVL with an 8-2 record. With senior Dawson Downs leading its offense Ripon will look to make it past the quarterfinals in the Division 4 bracket.

Downs has been a home run machine going the distance seven times, the 13th most in the nation. He also leads his team in batting average, on-base percentage, runs, hits and RBIs. Downs and the Indians will look to close out the regular season with wins over their rival Escalon.

Venture Academy's Isaac Stewart waits for the throw as Millennium's Patrick Walsh safely steals second during a varsity baseball game at Billy Hebert Field in Stockton on Apr. 25, 2024.
Venture Academy's Isaac Stewart waits for the throw as Millennium's Patrick Walsh safely steals second during a varsity baseball game at Billy Hebert Field in Stockton on Apr. 25, 2024.

Venture Academy (11-8)

After a not-so-promising 2-7 start to the season, even the Mustangs didn’t think the postseason was in their future. But they battled adversity and shined throughout CCAA play going 8-0 and locked in as league champs.

A key factor behind its comeback season has been key leadership from senior Alexander Wolf-Gallegos. The two-way player leads Venture Academy with a .463 batting average and an on-base percentage of close to 60%. On the mound, he has a team-high 78 Ks. He and the rest of the Mustangs will look to make a run in the Division 4 bracket.

Division 5

No SJ Country team will qualify for the Division 5 bracket

Grant Sonke of Ripon Christian baseball poses for a picture after their game vs. Firebaugh in Ripon on May 30.
Grant Sonke of Ripon Christian baseball poses for a picture after their game vs. Firebaugh in Ripon on May 30.

Division 6

Ripon Christian (17-8)

After snagging a Division 7 blue banner last year, the Knights will test their luck in the Division 6 bracket. They are ranked first in the SAL with a 10-2 record. Leading Ripon Christian to yet another playoff appearance this year is senior Grant Sonke.

The shortstop has consistently reeled in runs for his team earning him an eighth-place ranking in the SJS for runs (34). With Sonke and a host of other weapons, Ripon Christian will be the team to watch out for in making a deep run in the Division 6 bracket.

On the bubble: Millennium (11-5)

Division 7

No SJ County team will qualify for the Division 7 bracket

This article originally appeared on The Record: 13 SJ County prep baseball teams that are playoff-bound