TOMITAKA, RODRIGUEZ EARN TOP ACCOLADES FOR ALL-OEC HONORS

Santa Ana College's Ken Tomitaka and Riverside City College pitcher, Jorge Rodriguez, earned the top honors of Orange Empire Conference baseball at this year's OEC coach's meeting.

Tomitaka, a 5'10 sophomore infielder from Beckman HS, was named the 2026 OEC Player of the Year, while Rodriguez – a 6'1 pitcher from Vista Murrieta HS – earned Pitcher of the Year honors, as voted on by the OEC head coaches.

Leading the Dons to the 2026 OEC title, Tomitaka batted .410 in 21 conference games played. He was tied for third in conference with 34 hits, second in home runs (6), third in RBI, third in on-base percentage (.510) and third in slugging percentage (.723).

Rodriguez was the anchor on a Tigers pitching staff that earned the lowest ERA in the OEC and third-lowest in all of California. The lefty standout took seven OEC starts for the Tigers and posted a 5-1 record with a 1.89 ERA. In 38 innings, Rodriguez allowed just eight earned runs (11 total) on 29 hits with just nine walks and 33 strikeouts, earning some of the best stats among all OEC starting pitchers this year.

An impressive eight SAC players earned first-team honors. Those joining Tomitaka on the first-team squad include pitcher, Zach Ireland, catcher, Carlos Morales, infielders Ben Melendrez, Jack Mueller and Aiden Marquez and outfielders Nikko Paoletto and Evan Reiter.

Conference runner-up Riverside had six first-teamers, including Rodriguez, last year's pitcher of the year, Jake Valenzuela, pitchers Ryan Jenkins and Charlie Ruggles, infielder Bubba Heidler, and utility Grant Gray.

Santa Ana College head coach Tom Nilles was named the OEC Coach of the Year after his Dons not only earned the top spot in the conference (16-5), they earned the top-seed in this year's 3C2A state baseball playoffs with a 33-6-1 overall record. 

2026 ALL-ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE TEAM

Player of the Year – Ken Tomitaka, Santa Ana College, Sophomore

Pitcher of the Year – Jorge Rodriguez, Riverside City College, Sophomore

Coach of the Year – Tom Nilles, Santa Ana College

FIRST TEAM ALL-OEC 

PITCHERS

Rocky Palacio, Cypress, Sophomore

Jake Valenzuela, Riverside, Sophomore

Zach Ireland, Santa Ana, Freshman

Ryan Jenkins, Riverside, Sophomore

Sage Nelson, Fullerton, Sophomore

RELIEF PITCHERS

Charlie Ruggles, Riverside, Freshman

CATCHER

Carlos Morales, Santana, Sophomore

FIRST BASE

Matt Henning, Saddleback, Sophomore

Ben Melendrez, Santa Ana, Sophomore

INFIELDERS

Jack Mueller, Santa Ana, Sophomore

Cole Belfanti, Golden West, Sophomore

Bubba Heidler, Riverside, Sophomore

Aiden Marquez, Santa Ana, Freshman

Tyler Smith, Cypress, Freshman

OUTFIELDERS

Evan Reiter, Santa Ana, Freshman

Nikko Paoletto, Santa Ana, Freshman

Derek Gonzales, Cypress, Sophomore

Sean Green, Fullerton, Freshman

Levi Maddela, Golden West, Sophomore

DESIGNATED HITTER

Nick Salmon, Golden West, Freshman

UTILITY

Grant Gray, Riverside, Sophomore

SECOND TEAM ALL-OEC 

PITCHERS

Andrew Phillips, Santa Ana, Freshman

Landon Gordon, Saddleback, Freshman

RELIEF PITCHERS

Rudy Carlos, Cypress, Freshman

Cristian Brewster, Golden West, Freshman

Murdoch Taylor, Fullerton, Freshman

Mason Miles, Cypress, Sophomore

CATCHER

Max Senesac, Golden West, Sophomore

FIRST BASEMAN

Justin Tillar, Cypress, Sophomore

Alan Choo, Orange Coast, Sophomore

INFIELDERS

Jacob Hudson, Saddleback, Sophomore

Coen Goeas, Fullerton, Freshman

Luis Sosa, Riverside, Sophomore

Luke Viola, Fullerton, Sophomore

Ryan Farias, Orange Coast, Freshman

Zach Fany, Golden West, Freshman

OUTFIELDERS

Jake Starr, Fullerton, Sophomore

Gavin Egan, Riverside, Freshman

Wes Hickey, Saddleback, Freshman

Vinny Hudson, Fullerton, Freshman

DESIGNATED HITTER

Aiden Erlandsen, Riverside, Freshman

UTILITY

Matt Fox, Golden West, Sophomore

Story by Tony Altobelli, Orange Coast College