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San Diego Stars open 2026 summer season
- Updated: June 10, 2026
2026 SAN DIEGO STARS Summer Collegiate Baseball
East County Sports.com
SANTEE — The San Diego Stars, the county’s premier summer collegiate baseball team, will open their 2026 season on Wednesday (June 10) by hosting the San Diego Bulldogs in a Western Baseball Association ballgame.
The game will be held at West Hills High’s Wolf Pack Park starting at 4 p.m.
The San Diego Stars are seeking their 30th appearance in the National Baseball Congress World Series to cap the summer season, by far the most by any ballclub in Southern California, along with the Santa Barbara Foresters.
2026 Schedule
San Diego Stars Drop Season Opener to Bulldogs, 8-4
By East County Sports Staff
SANTEE — The San Diego Stars opened their 2026 Western Baseball Association season on Wednesday afternoon at Wolf Pack Park, falling to the San Diego Bulldogs, 8-4.
The Stars entered the summer campaign seeking their 30th appearance in the National Baseball Congress World Series, a total matched in Southern California only by the renowned Santa Barbara Foresters.
The Bulldogs broke through in the second inning, capitalizing on a pair of hits, a hit batter, and a productive ground ball to build an early advantage. The visitors continued to apply offensive pressure throughout the contest, collecting timely hits and driving in runs from multiple spots throughout the lineup.
Ryan Smith drew the Opening Day start for the Stars, allowing four runs on three hits over two innings while striking out one and walking one. The Bulldogs’ starter was effective early, tossing three scoreless innings while striking out five.
San Diego chipped away offensively behind a balanced attack.
Gavin Gamino
Gavin Gamino, Tommy Carney, Rey Ramirez, Phill Jones, Will James, and Preston Henry each recorded a hit. Hunter Kaul, Carney, Jones, and Liam Herrera drove in runs for the Stars.
One of the game’s highlights came in the eighth inning when Rocco Stefonik delivered an immaculate inning, striking out all three batters he faced on just nine pitches.
The Stars showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks, and played clean defense without committing an error.
Jake Ervin handled a team-high 15 defensive chances, while San Diego also turned a double play.
The Bulldogs finished with eight runs on a well-rounded offensive effort and also turned a double play defensively.
San Diego (0-1) continues its opening week schedule on Thursday with a road contest against the San Diego Bombers.
Stars Even Record With Victory Over Bombers
By East County Sports Staff
SANTEE — One day after opening the 2026 Western Baseball Association season on the short side of the ledger, the San Diego Stars bounced back with a tremendous display of patience on Thursday, defeating the San Diego Bombers, 8-4.
The Stars improved to 1-1 on the young season, showing discipline at the plate and opportunistic base running while overcoming an early deficit.
San Diego managed just two hits on the afternoon but capitalized on 14 walks issued by the Bombers’ pitching. The Stars also put pressure on the defense with four stolen bases and several aggressive trips around the bases.
San Diego Stars head coach Sam Hughes
Gavin Gamino and Phill Jones (Granite Hills) recorded the club’s only hits. Gamino doubled and scored a run, while Jones added a single and crossed the plate once.
Jake Ervin and Rey Ramirez each drove in a run, while Christian Lockwood also collected an RBI despite not recording a hit.
Jordan Anderson scored twice and reached base multiple times, helping spark the Stars’ offense from the middle of the lineup.
The Bombers jumped out early behind several extra-base hits, including three doubles. Their offense received contributions throughout the lineup, with timely hitting and aggressive base running keeping pressure on the Stars’ pitching staff.
However, San Diego’s pitchers settled down after the early innings.
Starter Michael Miranda earned the victory, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings while striking out five.
David Zambelli struck out the side in a scoreless sixth inning, while Nate Moloney added three strikeouts during his inning of relief.
Phill Jones
The Bombers were held scoreless over the final six innings as the Stars’ bullpen combined to shut the door.
Hayden Deanda allowed two late runs but preserved the victory.
After surrendering seven runs in the first two innings, Bombers pitching kept the Stars hitless for long stretches but continued to struggle with command, issuing 14 walks and hitting three batters. The Stars took advantage of nearly every opportunity, turning limited offensive production into eight runs.
San Diego continues its opening week schedule this weekend as the Stars begin another summer campaign with hopes of returning to the National Baseball Congress World Series for the 30th time in franchise history.
Stars Edge Canes Behind Strong Pitching
By East County Sports Staff
SANTEE — The San Diego Stars continued their strong start to the 2026 Western Baseball Association season on Friday, receiving another outstanding pitching effort in a 2-1 victory over the Canes at West Hills High School.
The win improved the Stars to 2-1 and marked the second straight game in which San Diego’s pitching staff allowed just one run.
After splitting their opening two contests, the Stars relied on a pitching staff that has quickly become one of the club’s early strengths.
Manny Miranda delivered another quality outing, working five innings while allowing just one unearned run and striking out six. Through two appearances, Miranda had allowed only three runs, with just one earned, while helping stabilize the Stars’ rotation.
The game remained tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning before San Diego broke through.
Jake Ervin lined a run-scoring single down the right-field line before Preston Hendry later drew a bases-loaded walk to force home the eventual winning run.
Nate Moloney earned the victory with a scoreless inning of relief, striking out two.
Gavin Cook and Travis Van Dyke also provided scoreless relief appearances before Rocco Stefonik closed the door for the save.
Hendry continued his productive start to the season, collecting two hits and scoring the game-winning run. Ervin drove in a run and remained one of the club’s most consistent contributors through the opening week.
San Diego showed patience at the plate, drawing nine walks.
Gavin Gamino, Jacob Lanza and Phill Jones each reached base multiple times via free passes as the Stars continued a season-long trend of forcing opposing pitchers to work.
The Stars also swiped four bases and turned a double play defensively in another fundamentally sound performance.
Bombers Return Favor, Deal Stars Second Loss
By East County Sports Staff
SANTEE — Four days after defeating the San Diego Bombers by the same score, the San Diego Stars found themselves on the other side of an 8-4 decision Tuesday at West Hills High School.
The loss dropped the Stars to 2-2 on the season and evened the early-season series between the two clubs.
San Diego struck first in the opening inning when Nick Reed delivered an RBI single. The Stars later regained the lead in the fourth inning on a run-scoring groundout by Jake Ervin, moving ahead 4-3.
The Bombers responded with a decisive fifth inning, taking advantage of timely hitting and maintaining pressure throughout the remainder of the contest. A sacrifice fly and an RBI single pushed the Bombers in front for good.
The Stars received RBIs from Will James and Ervin, while James, Reed Gunnett and Reed accounted for the club’s three hits.
David Zambelli made the start for San Diego, allowing three runs over three innings while striking out three.
Sam Smith suffered the loss in relief despite a solid two-inning outing.
The difference came late when the Bombers’ bullpen took over. A reliever dominated the final four innings, striking out 11 Stars batters while not allowing a hit.
Meanwhile, the Bombers offense generated 11 hits and consistently found traffic on the bases. Several hitters recorded multi-hit games, and the club drew seven walks.
Stars Explode For 25 Runs In Rout Of Bulldogs
By East County Sports Staff
SANTEE — One day after a disappointing loss to the Bombers, the San Diego Stars delivered one of the most dominant performances of the young season, overwhelming the Bulldogs, 25-0, on Wednesday at West Hills High School.
The victory improved the Stars to 3-2 and showcased the explosive offense that has been developing throughout the opening week of the Western Baseball Association season.
San Diego scored in every inning it batted and broke the game open with a 15-run third inning that featured a parade of hits, walks and extra-base power.
Leading the charge was catcher Jake Ervin, who enjoyed a perfect afternoon at the plate. Ervin finished 3-for-3 with a home run, double, single and four RBIs. The offensive outburst continued a strong opening week for the Stars backstop, who had delivered key hits in several of the club’s first five games.
Gavin Gamino and Phill Jones continued to emerge as two of the Stars’ hottest hitters. Both players drove in five runs, while Jones collected three hits, including a bases-clearing double. Gamino added a double, a single and reached base repeatedly as his early-season hitting streak remained intact.
Hunter Kaul added a two-run home run, while Preston Hendry doubled home two runs during a five-run fifth inning.
Nate Moloney chipped in with two hits as nearly every player in the lineup contributed.
The Stars finished with 18 hits and 14 walks while taking full advantage of nearly every scoring opportunity.
The pitching staff was equally dominant.
Ryan Smith earned the victory with three scoreless innings and six strikeouts.
Gavin Cook, Manny Miranda, and Haden Deanda each followed with scoreless relief appearances as the quartet combined on a one-hit shutout.
Through five games, pitching has become the identity of the Stars. Miranda continued his impressive start to the season, while Cook, Moloney, Stefonik, and the rest of the bullpen have consistently provided quality innings.
For one afternoon, however, the offense stole the spotlight as the Stars turned a close rivalry matchup into a historic rout.
