The Long Beach Coast’s players endured 100-degree weather while practicing at historic Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with various music, including “Can’t C Me,” blaring over speakers — as the team prepared for the postseason.
In their inaugural year, the Long Beach Coast made it to the 2026 Pioneer Baseball League playoffs, having the best record in the first half of the season, team officials said.
The initial playoff series will begin on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Blair Field, and run through Saturday.
Making the playoffs was the expectation, manager Troy Percival said during a press conference on the eve of the postseason.
“I expected to be in the postseason,” Percival said. “Now, I don’t ever expect to be in the finals because anything can happen in the playoffs. The team gets hot for two days is all it takes, but I expected to be where we’re at right now.”
(L-R) Claire Duvendeck, vice president, and Troy Percival, manager of the Long Beach Coast at Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Coast players practicing at Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Coast players practicing at Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Coast has made it to the Pioneer Baseball League playoffs in its first year. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Coast players practicing at Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Coast players practicing at Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Coast has made it to the Pioneer Baseball League playoffs in its first year. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Show Caption
1 of 7
(L-R) Claire Duvendeck, vice president, and Troy Percival, manager of the Long Beach Coast at Blair Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Making it this far as a first-year team reflected its high goals and ambitions.
“We were the first team in the league this year to clinch a playoff spot,” said Long Beach Coast Vice President Claire Duvendeck. “We finished the first half in first place. From a front office side, we would have been happy having just a successful season, but being able to hit these huge benchmarks in our first year is incredible. And I think that for the front office side and the team side, it’s just put everyone’s energy in the right place, and everyone’s been so amped and excited (being) along for the ride since the beginning of the season, and we’ve recognized that with our fan base too.”
In the three games happening at Blair Field, Duvendeck said, the team will continue its focus on creating great fan experiences – such pregame ceremonies and performances. On Friday, for example, the Dove Shack will perform “Summertime in the LBC.”
“We’re very proud of Long Beach, but we do like to add as much energy and character to our ballpark experience as we can,” Duvendeck said, “and we hope fans come out and have a really good time.”
The players also said they are excited to have made it this far and are looking forward to the high energy that a home game brings.
“Building off that crowd’s energy, hopefully it feels a little bit like opening week, where we had a lot of people here, and we’ve seen all year that we build off the crowd’s energy and it gives us momentum,” said Cuba Bess, the first baseman and designated hitter for the Long Beach Coast. “When the crowd gets into it, it brings us to life. It gets us a little bit more excited to be out there.”