PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – The Pasco-Hernando State College Bobcats are heading back to Enid, Oklahoma. For the second consecutive year, the team has punched its ticket to the NJCAA Division II College World Series after a grueling weekend that saw them clinch both the Region 8 State Tournament and the South District Championship.
Ranked 10th in the nation, the Bobcats’ path to the title was anything but easy. The series began on May 8 with a narrow 11-10 loss to Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (LBW). Facing elimination the following day, PHSC found itself trailing 8-4 late in the game.
The momentum shifted in the eighth inning when Vance Celiberti sent a two-run homer over the fence. Following singles by Sebastian Berrios and Mikey Greenberg, Eduardo Morales kept the season alive with a clutch, two-out, two-strike single to tie the game.
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Greenberg eventually sealed the 10-inning, 10-8 thriller with a go-ahead home run, while pitcher Gavin Zassenbraker threw over two scoreless innings to earn the win.
The championship finale on May 10 turned into an offensive explosion. Despite an early 4-2 deficit, the Bobcats roared back with 16 unanswered runs to defeat LBW 20-13.
The power display featured home runs from Alex Rodriguez, Brandon Gonzales, Morales, and Celiberti. Five players—Rodriguez, Celiberti, Greenberg, Gonzales, and Hershey Sanchez—turned in multi-hit performances. Zassenbraker once again took the mound to close out the final 1.1 innings without allowing a run.
The achievement is particularly notable given that the roster was almost entirely rebuilt following last season’s national title.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our guys,” said Lyndon Coleman, PHSC athletics director and head baseball coach. “We lost almost every player from last year’s national championship team, and for this team to have a target on its back all year with an entirely new roster shows how they rose to meet every challenge in front of them. Their toughness, resilience and commitment to the standards of our program have been incredible to watch.”
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PHSC President Eric Hall, Ed.D., echoed the sentiment, noting the pride of the entire college community. “This team has demonstrated tremendous discipline and resilience throughout the season, and we are incredibly proud to see them represent PHSC on the national stage once again,” Hall said.
This victory marks the fourth World Series appearance in the program’s history. It also serves as a personal milestone for Coach Coleman, who was named South District Coach of the Year for the third time.
The Bobcats carry a 36-22 record into the World Series, which is scheduled to run from May 23 to May 30.
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