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Sneddon Ties Weinstein's Career Baseball Wins Mark
SAN DIEGO, CA – Santa Ana College 's (SAC) Don Sneddon moved into a tie with former Sacramento City College (SCC) baseball coach Jerry Weinstein on the all-time California community college baseball coaching wins list as the Dons (17-6) downed San Diego Mesa College (9-13) in non-conference baseball action, Friday.
The Dons, who pounded out 17 hits including eight extra base hits, got a pair of home runs from Brett Siegmund (2 for 5, 5 RBI) and Nick Mahin
(2 for 4, 4 RBI) in the one-sided affair. Santa Ana also got three hits from Nick Tanos (3 for 6, 3 RBI) as all nine starters collected at least one hit apiece for the Dons.
Matt Freeman (1-1), who allowed four runs (all unearned) on just one hit over four innings, picked up the win while striking out one and walking one. Sneddon used five pitchers in the game including David Bromberg who struck out the only three batters he faced in the sevent.
After taking a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning on two-run home runs by Siegmund and Mahin, the Dons' defense committed four errors and allowed the Olympians to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the inning. Santa Ana regained the lead for good on Siegmund's second home run, a three-run shot, in the top of the fourth that gave the Dons a 7-4 advantage.
Through Friday's game, Sneddon has now compiled an overall record of 831-286-3 (.744) in 25 seasons, all at Santa Ana College, while Weinstein, who is currently in his fifth year as an assistant coach at California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo, capped a banner California community college coaching career with an 831-208-12 record in 23 seasons at SCC.
Sneddon has a chance to become the all-time coaching wins leader as early as Tuesday (March 21) when Santa Ana plays at Riverside Community College at 2 p.m.
In 2004, the Laguna Hills-resident moved into second place on the all-time California community college coaching wins list with 773 wins when Santa Ana College beat Bakersfield College , 13-3, in the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs on May 15, 2004.
Santa Ana 's accomplishments with Sneddon at the helm have been plentiful as the Dons have won three state championships, 11 conference championships and have appeared in six state title games including a state record four in a row from 1993-96. The former Dominguez High School-product has also been named the conference coach of the year 10 times.
Previous to 1976, the Santa Ana baseball program had only finished above .500 in 14 out of 43 seasons. Since then, the program has gone 26 straight seasons above .500—including 19 seasons above .700. A total of 99 players have signed professional contracts while another 170 players have received scholarships to play at four-year colleges and universities during Sneddon's tenure at the college.
Next: Santa Ana College at Riverside Community College, Tuesday,
March 21,
2 p.m.
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