By Jordan Kimball, Beat Writer
The Conejo Oaks have committed 65 errors, the second-most in the CCL. If the Stompers can capitalize on those mistakes, they might end up hoisting the CCL trophy for the first time in franchise history.
There were once 14 teams. Then six. Four followed. Now, two teams remain in the CCL. After 10 weeks of intense competition, the Stompers have surpassed the rest and nearly stand alone. They face one last test: the Conejo Oaks.
Everything’s fresh for Sonoma. Boarding a bus to Thousand Oaks is an unfamiliar experience. Seeing the Oaks on its schedule is a first. The pressure feels foreign yet exciting for the squad.
This is what Conejo does, though. It won the CCL Championship in 2018 when the Stompers still played in the Pacific Association. After five failed attempts to battle back, the Oaks finally returned to glory last season when they defeated the Crawdads in two games by a combined score of 11-2.
Conejo’s made its mark on the league. Sonoma’s still fighting to. A battle between the past and the present awaits, and the stakes are higher than ever.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Stompers’ (32-17, 25-15 CCL) first-ever CCL Championship series against the defending champion Conejo Oaks (25-13 CCL):
How’d the Oaks get here?
It’s no secret the Oaks were the team to beat this season. Last year, they finished 24-12 before cruising through the CCL postseason with a 9-2 win over the Riptide and 7-2 and 4-0 victories over Walnut Creek. They controlled last season from start to finish and repeated the feat this year.
The CCL South and North rarely mix, so Conejo didn’t see the competition Sonoma did. But they coasted through the South’s seven other teams to claim the one-seed for the second straight year.
At the plate, Jacob Galloway and Devon Wilkes did the heavy lifting. They both finished batting nearly .300 through 31 games. Galloway, often in the three-hole, led the squad with 22 runs and 20 walks. His OPS ranked second among remaining starters at .825, while Wilkes’ sat just 82 points lower at .743.
Charlie Decker emerged as the Oaks’ ace on the mound. His 2.57 ERA topped the team among pitchers with over 25 innings pitched, while his four wins and 39 strikeouts ranked in the CCL’s top five. After making 14 relief appearances for Conejo last season, he led the team with seven starts this time around.
Number to know: 65
Manager Zack Pace has always emphasized capitalizing on the opponent’s mistakes, but this year, his squad has taken it to a different level. People often call it the “Stompers’ special.” It’s as simple as tying games, taking leads and mounting comebacks on wild pitches and catchers’ mistakes.
The Oaks won’t let them do that much. Their 29 wild pitches are the third-lowest mark in the league. But in terms of the defense behind the pitcher, Sonoma might be running for days.
Conejo’s committed 65 errors this season, the second-most in the CCL. While the Stompers’ defense has dialed in, if their offense punishes the Oaks’ miscues, they may be hoisting the trophy come Sunday.
Sonoma’s player to watch: Nic Sebastiani
Calling Nic Sebastiani’s walk-off two-run homer on Wednesday a storybook ending doesn’t do it justice. It was a moment years in the making, dating back to his days at Sonoma Valley High School. If there’s one player to lead the Stompers to their first-ever CCL Championship, it’s Sebastiani.
After beginning 2025 slowly and being sidelined for three weeks due to injury, the Santa Rosa Junior College sophomore has been unstoppable since. He’s raised his batting average to .300 through 26 games and 90 at-bats. After not hitting a home run since June 29, Sebastiani’s long ball in the CCL North finals powered the Stompers to the CCL Championship.
There’s no better time for the hometown kid to hit his stride. His 3-for-5 day with two extra-base hits in Sonoma’s extra-innings thriller Wednesday shows Sebastiani’s a name Conejo can’t afford to overlook.
Conejo’s player to watch: Tyler Holley
One swing can define a season. On Wednesday, it went the Stompers’ way. Yet with Tyler Holley at the plate for the Oaks, momentum can shift in an instant. The Cal State Fullerton junior may not be the most consistent hitter — his .243 average reflects that — but his bat packs power, evident in his team-leading four home runs.
In the cleanup spot, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound former Stomper has done damage. His most recent display was a two-hit, two-RBI day in Conejo’s 3-1 win over the Arroyo Seco Saints in the South Championship.
In the sixth inning, with the score knotted at one apiece, Holley roped a 96-mile-per-hour double off the right-field wall to clear the bases and give the Oaks a 3-1 lead, which they never relinquished.
While Sebastiani’s heating up, Holley’s just as dangerous at the plate. To be crowned 2025 CCL Champions, Sonoma must keep him quiet.