OCC baseball trio named to conference first team

Four players with local ties, including three from Orange Coast College, have been named first-team All-Orange Empire Conference by the conference’s baseball coaches.

Freshman pitcher David Wilson, as well as sophomore first baseman Danny Jiminez and sophomore outfielder Zach Nehrir represent OCC on the first team, while Cypress College sophomore designated hitter Blake Davey, a Newport Harbor High product, is also a first-team honoree.

OCC sophomore pitcher Kyle Dowdy made the second team.

Wilson compiled a 4-2 record with a team-leading four saves and a 2.51 earned-run average in 18 regular-season appearances, including five starts. He allowed 47 hits in 57 1/3 innings with 38 strikeouts and 10 walks.

Jiminez, a transfer from Irvine Valley, hit .309 with one home run and 23 runs batted in for the Pirates (22-14), who play Palomar in a best-of-three regional to open the Southern California playoffs, beginning Friday. He had 12 doubles and scored 22 times.

Nehrir, the Pirates’ primary leadoff man and center fielder, hit . 329 with one homer and 21 RBIs. He scored 21 runs, and had five doubles, four triples and two stolen bases.

Davey, a bounce-back from the University of Arizona, hit .339 with one homer, 24 RBIs and 12 doubles. He also scored 27 runs to help Cypress (23-13) finish fourth in the OEC and advance to the regionals.

Dowdy, a bounce-back from the University of Hawaii, was 6-2 with one save and a 2.39 ERA in the regular season. He allowed 53 hits and struck out 27 in 67 2/3 innings.

Conference champion Fullerton dominated the top individual awards, including freshman Dakota Wix (Player of the Year), freshman Stephen Kane (Pitcher of the Year) and Nick Fuscardo (Coach of the Year).

— From staff reports