College of the Desert Baseball Wins Conference Title, Eyes Historic Season Finish

The College of the Desert men’s baseball team is celebrating a major milestone after being crowned Inland Empire Conference champions — just the second conference title in program history.

But beyond the trophy, this season represents a complete transformation of the Roadrunners program.

When head coach Sam DiMatteo and assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Casey Dill took over in 2019, they inherited a team that struggled with reputation and recruiting. Many of the top local players chose to go elsewhere, forcing the coaching staff to recruit talent from across the country.

That approach quickly paid off.

Over the past several years, the program has become one of the top junior college pipelines in California for sending players to four-year schools. That success has helped shift perception, with more local talent now choosing to stay and play for COD.

This season, the results are showing on the field.

Several players are putting up standout performances, including an outfielder ranked among the top five in batting average, RBIs, and stolen bases. Pitchers have also delivered, with Matt Wallin among the leaders in wins and Caleb Ortiz posting an impressive 1.6 ERA.

Players and coaches say the culture inside the clubhouse has been just as important as the statistics. A strong sense of unity, accountability, and pride has helped fuel the team’s success.

Now, the Roadrunners are looking ahead.

With four games remaining, the team has a chance to reach 32 wins — which would mark the most victories in program history.

Regional playoff matchups are expected to be announced soon, and NBC Palm Springs Sports Desk will have continuing coverage as the postseason gets underway.

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