Cougars capture nine All-CVC postseason honors
A total of nine Taft College Cougars were honored by their opposing coaches and were named to the All-Central Valley Conference postseason baseball team. Led by first-team selections Javier Ramirez, Manny Guzman, and James McCallum, TC also had three second-team picks while three more were placed on the conference Gold Glove team.
A total of nine Taft College Cougars were honored by their opposing coaches and were named to the All-Central Valley Conference postseason baseball team. Led by first-team selections Javier Ramirez, Manny Guzman, and James McCallum, TC also had three second-team picks while three more were placed on the conference Gold Glove team.
Ramirez, originally out of Caguas, Puerto Rico, hit .343 on the year with four home runs and 34 RBI. The sophomore shortstop totaled 47 hits, 41 runs, and stole eight bases.
Guzman, a freshman pitcher out of Garces Memorial High School, was impressive in his first season with the Cougars. In 17 appearances, Guzman tossed 40 1/3 innings and compiled a 3.59 ERA. He closed the year with a 2-0 record with a save and 24 strikeouts.
McCallum led Taft with a .361 batting average, 48 hits, and 36 walks. The sophomore first baseman from Baulkham Hills, Australia, smacked 11 doubles, three home runs, and totaled 34 RBI.
Earning second-team honors were freshman Buster Hardman (.274 BA, 45 H, 35 RBI, 16 SB) at infield and sophomore outfielders Andres Rolon (.324 BA, 47 H, 9 HR, 29 RBI) and Jake Pearson (.277 BA, 41 H, 11 2B, 5 HR, 38 RBI).
Taft's Gold Glove selections were Hardman at second base, sophomore Jacob Cruz at third base, and Rolon in the outfield.
The Cougars recently closed out the season with a Northern California Playoffs series loss to Sacramento City College. Taft made its second consecutive postseason appearance under head coach Vince Maiocco and ended 2019 with a 25-16 overall record. The Cougars finished just a game out of first place in the final Central Valley Conference standings at 16-5.