The Rio Americano Raiders clinched their first Sac-Joaquin Division III baseball championship in three decades, defeating El Capitan 3-0 in a game that halted the opponent’s 14-game winning streak.
A Historic Win
Under first-year head coach Jason Landreth, the Raiders displayed a blend of dominant pitching and tight defense that proved decisive against a team that had been nearly untouchable.
The game’s opening run came from shortstop Trey Howell-Chase in the second inning, setting the tone for a contest where the Raiders’ offense complemented a stellar mound performance.
Joey Dormann earned the win by tossing five innings of one-hit baseball, while Conor Flynn added two shutout innings of relief, striking out six and allowing just one hit.
The victory also highlighted the program’s deep roots, with many players having grown up together in local Little League programs and now forming a close-knit unit that reflects the school’s community spirit.
Coach Landreth, a Sacramento native who starred at Christian Brothers High before playing at American River College, brings 35 years of baseball experience at the college and professional levels to the Raiders’ bench.
Star player Trey Howell-Chase, a junior with a 3.87 GPA and a three-sport athlete profile, is batting .491 with 27 RBIs this season, underscoring the team’s blend of athletic and academic excellence.
The win marks the second appearance in the championship game for El Capitan, a program that opened in 2013 and entered the playoffs as the seventh seed, while the Raiders now advance to the CIF Northern California Regional playoffs.