To come out of Arizona is one thing. To make it out of there and win the bid to go to Grand Junction is another, and once there to win the whole thing is another. Well, that is exactly what Central Arizona did last year. Getting into the Arizona playoffs last week of the season as the 4-seed. Then winning the Region 1 title. Then headed up to take on the rest of the district and took care of business there. Once in Colorado, it was on. Making the switch back to metal bats was a huge advantage for them. They won their first 2 games before losing to Iowa Western. They fought back through the Losers bracket beating Chattahoochee Valley, and Walters State before taking on Iowa Western for the second time in the National Championship game. They took care of the Reivers in a slugfest 13-8.
Previous winners:’19 Central Arizona (National Champs), ‘18 Southern Idaho, ‘17 Southern Nevada, ‘16 Yavapai (National Champs),
The Powerhouse that is the west is just as you would have thought...Loaded with talent. Taking home Preseason Player of the Year honors is Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Oklahoma State), while Mitchel Devocivh (Washington State) from Central Arizona takes home the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.