MIGUEL VASCONCELLOS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER |
Breaking down the baseball races (updated)
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League-by-league look at the battles for playoff spots on the final day of regular season.
The baseball regular season ends Thursday. The order of playoff representation is at stake in many leagues involving Orange County teams.
A league's No. 1 playoff representative will get a first-round home game against another league's No. 3 or No. 4 team. No. 2 teams usually play other No. 2 teams, either on the road or at home in the first round. No. 3 teams might play in the wild-card round, at home or away, or will play away games in the first round.
Head-to-head competition in league games will break ties. For example, in the Academy League Brethren Christian and St. Margaret's could finish tied for third with 7-8 league records. If so, because Brethren won two of its three league games against St. Margaret's, Brethren would be the Academy's No. 3 playoff representative.
There were no at-large berths in the 2007 baseball playoffs. An examination of the CIF-Southern Section's seven playoff divisions indicates there will be no at-large berths this year.
Playoffs seedings and first-round pairings will be at ocvarsity.com Monday afternoon. Wild-card round games are Tuesday in all divisions. First-round games in Divisions I, III, V and VII will be played May 15, and in Divisions II, IV and VI on May. 16.
The playoff situation in leagues involving Orange County teams:
Academy (Division VI) –1. Sage Hill; 2. Oxford Academy; 3. Brethren Christian.
Alpha (Division V) –1. Whittier Christian. No other county teams in this league.
Century – First-place Canyon (10-4 in league) has a one-game lead over El Modena (9-5), and plays at El Modena on Thursday. If El Modena wins, they have identical league records but El Modena would be the league's No. 1 team because it would have won two of three in league against Canyon. If Canyon wins, then Canyon is No. 1 and El Modena is No. 2. Brea Olinda (7-7) is in third, one game ahead of Tustin and Villa Park. Villa Park lost two of three against Brea and was swept by Tustin, so Villa Park has been eliminated. Tustin plays at Brea on Thursday; as they have split their two league games, the winner will get the No. 3 spot.
Empire (Division II)– 1. Katella; 2. Valencia; 3. Cypress.
Express (Division VII)– 1. St. Michael's Prep. No other county teams will qualify for the playoffs from this league.
Freeway (Division IV)– 1. Sonora; 2. La Habra; 3. Fullerton.
Garden Grove (Division III)– 1. La Quinta; 2. Rancho Alamitos. Garden Grove and Santiago are tied for third, with 8-6 league records. Garden Grove has won two of three against Santiago; Garden Grove plays Bolsa Grande on Thursday, while Santiago plays Rancho Alamitos.
Golden West (Division II)– Ocean View is in first, at 12-2. Orange is next at 11-3, and plays at Ocean View on Thursday. They have split their two league games. The winner Thursday is the league's No. 1, the loser is No. 2. Westminster is No. 3.
Orange (Division IV)– 1. Savanna; 2. Anaheim; 3. Magnolia.
Orange Coast (Division III)– Calvary Chapel and Costa Mesa were tied for first, at 8-3, going into their game Wednesday. It is a four-team league, so both are going to the playoffs. Last year, Costa Mesa, the No. 2 team, played in the wild-card round.
Pacific Coast (Division III)– Laguna Hills is 9-2, one game ahead of second-place University at 8-3. They play each other Thursday at University. They have split their two league games, so the winner is the league's No. 1 and the loser is No. 2. Beckman, at 4-7, is No. 3.
San Joaquin League (Division VII)– 1. Saddleback Valley Christian. No other county teams in this league qualified for the playoffs.
Sea View (Division II)– 1. El Toro; 2. Trabuco Hills; 3. Foothill.
South Coast (Division I)– If Capistrano Valley beats Aliso Niguel today, its is the league's No. 1. If Capistrano Valley loses and Tesoro beats Mission Viejo, Tesoro would be 11-4 and the No. 1 team, and Capo Valley, at 10-5, would be No. 2. Aliso Niguel would also be 10-5, but Capo Valley already has clinched the season series against Aliso Niguel. Aliso Niguel is No. 3.
Sunset (Division I)– 1. Los Alamitos; 2. Edison. As for No. 3, Fountain Valley is 7-7, and plays Edison today, and Esperanza is 6-8, and plays Los Alamitos. If Esperanza wins and Fountain Valley loses, Esperanza is No. 3 because it won two of three against Fountain Valley. A Fountain Valley victory or an Esperanza loss would make Fountain Valley the No. 3.
Trinity (Division I)– 1. Orange Lutheran; 2. Mater Dei; 3. JSerra.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
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