For the first time in the school’s history, Salt Lake Community College Bruins are headed to Grand Junction, Colorado, home of the Junior College World Series, after a 14-1 victory in the NJCAA Western District Championship over Southeast Community College.
Freshman pitcher Traton Staheli got the win going with 7.2 innings pitched, zero earned runs and nine strikeouts. The Bruins also got home runs from freshman right-fielder Trey Gambill and freshman third-baseman Taylor Ayala en route to the 14-1 victory.
THE BRUINS ARE IN!!!
Salt Lake is headed to the @JUCOWorldSeries for the first time in program history!!! pic.twitter.com/wEQGvHZP2Z
— SLCC Athletics (@BruinAthletics) May 21, 2023
The SLCC Bruins – fresh off their Region 18 Championship over College of Southern Nevada on May 13 in Henderson, Nevada – opened the four-team, double elimination tournament Thursday in Beatrice, Nebraska.
The NJCAA Western District tournament consisted of region one champion Pima Community College, region nine champion Southeast Community College and runner-up McCook Community College, and region 18 champion SLCC.
The Bruins began the NJCAA Western District Tournament with a 13-3 run-rule victory over Southeast Community College, where the Bruins hit seven home runs, including three from freshman shortstop Chip Beck. The Bruins then followed up with a 7-5 victory over Pima Community College to advance to the Western District Championship.
Brackets and matchups will be announced on May 23 at 10 a.m. Mountain Standard Time on NJCAA Network.
