The Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team completed a historical regular season, going 38-1 and clinching the No. 1 seed for the 3C2A playoffs, ranking No. 1 in California and No. 8 nationally.
SRJC baseball has a storied history under head coach Damon Neidlinger, winning two state championships and (number) conference titles. But the 2025 team is unlike any that have come before. Their 23-1 conference record is the best in 3C2A since Chaffey College went 23-1 in 2010, though Chaffey went 3-9 in nonconference play and was eliminated in the first round of playoffs.
The Bear Cubs 38-1 overall record is the best in recorded 3C2A history, though standings data is only available since 2000 and earlier records list only state championship winners dating back to 1950.
The simple explanation for their success is dominant pitching and defense. The Bear Cubs have the lowest ERA in 3C2A at 2.47 and the least errors with 26.
On the pitching side, the Bear Cubs do everything right, allowing the fewest hits in 3C2A (238), while recording the second-most strikeouts (395) and eighth-fewest walks (124).
Luke Schat, Russell Freedheim, Brice Cox and Raul Valdivia hold the four best ERAs in the Big 8 Conference among pitchers with at least 25 innings pitched. The only pitchers with better ERAs than those four have less than six innings pitched.
Schat’s ERA is the best in all of 3C2A among qualified pitchers.
Beyond those four, no Bear Cubs pitcher has an ERA above 5.00 and each of them with two or more appearances have more strikeouts than walks.
“We’ve had guys with pretty good stuff in the past, but we’re usually only one or two deep with guys with true plus stuff,” pitching coach Jared Noonan said. “This year it’s more like four or five, maybe even six, depending on the day.”
When pitchers induce contact, they can count on the best defense in California to back them up. The Bear Cubs 26 errors is the least in 3C2A. Subsequently their .982 fielding percentage is the highest.
While the Bear Cubs offense is no slouch, it’s a step down from recent years at first glance. Their .286 batting average and 381 hits are the lowest of the past four seasons. As is their 22 home runs, which is less than half of the 54 they had in 2024.
Additionally, their 208 walks are less than each of the last two seasons. Despite this, their .421 on base percentage is the highest during that time, finding other ways to reach base.
Their 127 hit by pitches is their only instance of having triple digits in the past four seasons and they routinely beat out fielder’s choices, having grounded into only 15 double plays all season. This compares to more than 40 in the prior three seasons.
Leading the way on offense is freshman designated hitter J.T. Summers, who leads the Big 8 in RBIs (61), is second in batting average (.373) and is tied for fourth in home runs with seven. Summers, a true freshman, credits a specific drill from the fall that’s helped him adapt quickly and dominate at the college level.
“We had a [pitching] machine that was off-centered, and it was shooting from almost behind us,” he said. “That really forced us to open up and be able to pull the ball. That’s the drill that made me a better hitter and made me realize I could fight for a starting spot here.”
Freshman center fielder Cooper Wood sets the tone at the top of the lineup with a .303 average, .466 on base percentage and conference-leading 27 stolen bases.
Complementing Wood and Summers are sophomore first baseman Josh Martin, freshman shortstop Brett Neidlinger and freshman outfielders Shane Moran and Anane Wilson, all of whom have an OBP above .800.
Martin announced his commitment to NCAA Division 1 University of Hawaii on April 11. He credits coach Neidlinger for instilling an approach that allowed him to reach the DI level.
“Damon is just always being honest and his word of ‘edge’,” Martin said. “Just getting mean and not letting that bat go away. Taking every bat and just always keep moving forward.”
Despite all the numbers and results on the field, players and coaches agree that the camaraderie off the field is their true key to success.
“I see the cohesiveness of this team as probably the best I’ve seen in 15 years since I’ve been here,” assistant coach Tom Francois said. “It’s genuine. The guys are all pulling for each other. Every at-bat, every pitch.”
Regardless of all their success in the regular season, none if it will matter starting on Friday.
“My phone’s been blowing up with number eight in the nation, number one in the state,” Francois said. “I tell the guys, that doesn’t mean a doggone thing until May 25, and we’re holding up state championship hardware. We’re going to be the number one seed, we’re going to be playing at home. That’s a big advantage but it could also be a stimulus for the other teams to say, ‘hey, we’ll knock these guys off.’ We’ve got a target on our backs, and at the end of the day, between the lines is what counts.”
