College of Marin, like the rest of the CCCAA, had their 2020 Spring Seasons canceled by the pandemic. Mariners’ Baseball started their Bay Valley schedule on a roll with a pair of convincing victories over the Napa Valley Storm. Though the season was cut short, the Mariners can make a claim for the 2020 BVC Title to cap their abbreviated season.

Marin opened the year with a 3-2 victory over the Sierra College Wolverines on January 24^th, but followed with a rough patch as they dropped their next seven games. The Mariners played arguably the toughest schedule to begin the year as their first six opponents combined for just two losses at one point.

The Mariners snapped their losing streak on February 7^th. At West Valley College, Owen Hamilton and Nick Kennison combined to pitch the entire game and push the team to a 7-4 victory. Marin rattled off two more wins before taking on Lassen in an epic Valentine’s Day game.

Hamilton started on the hill and hurled 10 innings but Marin’s offense could not separate from their visitors. The Lassen Tigers grabbed the win in 13 innings, a heartbreaking loss after an epic start to the game.

The loss could have torpedoed the Mariners’ momentum, but instead it served as a rallying cry. The team responded with a three game sweep over their regional rivals from College of San Mateo, and followed it with two more wins over Diablo Valley and Los Medanos and move above .500 at 9-8.

Marin dropped a pair of games before they began Bay Valley Conference competition against the Napa Valley Storm on March 10^th. College of Marin blasted Napa 13-2 at home before obliterating them 21-2 on the road two days later. The season suspension began on Friday the 13^th and was ultimately cancelled weeks later.

At the time of season suspension the Mariners sat atop the BVC with a 2-0 record and a run differential of plus 30. They scored 34 runs and allowed just four. Despite the small sample size, it is fair for the Mariners’ to claim the Bay Valley title.  The team finished up with an 11-10 overall record in their half season.

The Mariners’ team success was partially a result of several excellent individual performances throughout the year.

Sophomore centerfielder Jacob Berg led the team with 30 hits and batted .313 overall. Joey Loveless led the team with 8 doubles and 18 runs batted in while Dionathan Cornet hit .412 with six stolen bases in 12 games. The team hit .279 overall and scored 129 runs during the season.

On the mound Hamilton was the ace with 46.1 innings pitched in seven starts. He struck out 28 and allowed just 14 earned runs. His innings’ tally was top ten in the state. Matt Lozovoy hurled 38.1 innings and with 47 strikeouts while Nick Kennison had a 3.16 ERA in 25.2 innings as a versatile reliever.

It was a successful 2020 season for the Mariners, and though it was cut short, they can claim a 2020 Bay Valley Conference for Marin.