Yetis Baseball Caps Historic Season with Region 10 West Division Regular Season Title

Cleveland Community College baseball put together one of the strongest seasons in program history, finishing 36-22 overall with a 27-9 conference record and earning the Region 10 West Division Regular Season Championship for the first time in school history.

The Yetis built their season on a balanced, high-pressure offensive identity, combining consistent contact, power throughout the lineup, and aggressive baserunning. Cleveland scored 485 runs, drove in 428, posted a .323 team batting average, and finished with a .440 on-base percentage and .466 slugging percentage. The lineup also produced 571 hits, 158 extra-base hits, 41 home runs, and 117 stolen bases.

That offensive production helped Cleveland establish itself as one of the top teams in Region 10 Division II and gain national recognition throughout the season. The Yetis entered the NJCAA Division II Top 25 rankings at No. 24 during the week of March 30, moved to No. 22 the following week, and finished the season ranked No. 25.

The season also included several major milestones. Head Coach John Grigg earned his 100th win as the Yetis' head coach on Saturday, Feb. 21, when Cleveland defeated Wake Tech Community College, 10-6. Later in the season, the Yetis added another statement win by defeating No. 23 nationally-ranked Catawba Valley Community College, 6-5, on March 25.

Cleveland's aggressive approach on the basepaths was one of the team's defining strengths. The Yetis stole 117 bases in 135 attempts, good for an .867 stolen base percentage. Cruise Arnold led the way with 23 stolen bases, while Tyler Rosario and Tanner Britt added 17 each, Walker Hartley finished with 15, and Reese Guertin added 12.

Several Yetis turned in standout individual seasons. Guertin emerged as one of the team's top all-around contributors, batting .394 with a .549 on-base percentage and .635 slugging percentage while also making an impact on the mound with 53 strikeouts. Rosario helped power the middle of the lineup, batting .372 with 57 RBI, nine home runs, and 17 stolen bases. Britt provided one of the team's top power bats, finishing with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, a .634 slugging percentage, and 17 stolen bases.

Arnold was a catalyst for the Yetis offense, batting .345 with 51 RBI and a team-leading 23 stolen bases. Hartley added a strong offensive season with a .352 batting average, 68 hits, 41 RBI, and 15 stolen bases, while Timothy Negron contributed a .358 batting average, 57 hits, and 23 RBI.

On the mound, Cleveland's pitching staff recorded 431 strikeouts across 432 innings. Aaron Main anchored the staff with nine wins and a 1.18 WHIP, finishing among the national leaders in victories. David Yelton led the team with 66 strikeouts, while Charlie Collins added 57 and Guertin finished with 53.

The season also marked the end of two of the most productive careers in Yetis baseball history. Tanner Britt and Cruise Arnold each left their mark on the record book after putting together two of the best careers the program has seen. Britt set program records for games played with 105, runs scored with 96, and home runs with 15. Arnold broke program records for at-bats with 337, hits with 117, doubles with 28, and RBI with 99.

Cleveland's success was reflected in postseason honors as well. Britt earned All-Region 10 Division II Second Team recognition as an outfielder and was also named Region 10 Division II West First Team. He was joined on the West First Team by Guertin, Main, Rosario, and Arnold.

From national rankings to record-breaking careers and the program's first Region 10 West Division Regular Season Championship, the Yetis' season marked a major step forward for Cleveland Community College baseball and set a new standard for the program moving ahead.