Oakton defends Region 4 crown, makes repeat trip to NJCAA Div. III World Series
JOLIET, ILL. - Oakton College made it back-to-back Region 4 Division III Tournament titles after a wild three days of baseball that culminated in a 9-8 victory for the #3-seeded Owls over #4-seeded Waubonsee Community College. The championship marks the sixth region banner in the last eight years for Oakton. Bill Fratto was named Region 4 Coach of the Year.
Oakton College began their postseason run with a road upset over #2-seeded College of DuPage 4-2 to advance to the semifinals against the Chiefs. A back-and-forth game ended with an 8-7 walk-off win for the Owls, and after Waubonsee rolled to a 13-5 victory over top-seeded Joliet Junior College in an elimination game, the two teams met again with the championship on the line.
The game opened with a three-run first inning for the Chiefs, who eventually still held a 5-1 advantage after five innings. The Owls turned it around in the sixth with a seven-run frame to go up three runs, and then added an insurance run in the seventh for a 9-5 differential. That run proved to be the difference as Waubonsee Community College pushed three runs across in the top of the ninth, but was unable to score the tying run as Oakton claimed the 9-8 victory. Parker Reinke was 3 for 4 with a walk, two runs scored, and two runs batted in, while Giovanni Long and Tyler Heath each had three hits and combined to score three runs. Reed Frazier and Liam Fitzgerald split the pitching duties, with Fitzgerald (2-2) earning the win as the Owls advance to the district tournament.
2026 Region 4 Division III Coach of the Year
Bill Fratto - Oakton College
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SANDUSKY, OHIO - The NJCAA Great Lakes District Tournament pitted Oakton College against Region 12 champion Terra State Community College. The best-of-three series opened with a 10-6 win for TSCC; however, Oakton College responded in Game 2 with an 8-7 extra innings, walk-off win after trailing 4-1 after five innings and eventually scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force an extra inning. In a winner-take-all finale, the Owls jumped out to an 11-0 lead with six runs in the first inning, one in the third, and four more in the fourth. The held off the Titans to secure an automatch berth in the national tournament with a 14-8 victory.
Brandon Heath racked up four hits and two runs scored in the leadoff spot, while Giovanni Long followed him with three third, three runs batted in, and two runs scored. Long, along with teammates William Hoerner and Damon Brena, all hit home runs in the game. Owen Jenkins (7-1) earned the win, with Rafael Valdez, Stephen Combs, and Liam Fitzgerald working out of the bullpen.
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JOHNSON CITY, TENN. - At the NJCAA Division III World Series, Oakton College was granted the #8 seed and drew top-seeded Dallas-Eastfield in the first round. After scoring the game's first run in the top of the second, the Owls saw the eventual national runners-up score nine unanswered runs for a 9-1 win in eight innings. In the consolation bracket, the Owls squared off with #5 Brookdale Community College and the two teams embarked on a high-scoring tussle in an elimination game. Brookdale started with four runs in the first before Oakton pulled even after three innings. The Owls eventually owned a 10-7 midway through the eight inning when BCC posted five runs in the home half to go up two runs. Oakton responded with four runs in the top of the ninth, but were unable to hold the lead as Brookdale scored three runs in the bottom half to walk off with the win. Oakton College finished the season 26-29.