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A look at Orange County’s baseball teams and the CIF-SS playoffs

April 29, 2023

The CIF Southern Section baseball regular season is finished.

The playoff brackets will be released Monday at 10 a.m.

Teams qualified for the playoffs by earning one of their league’s guaranteed playoff berths. The top two teams, for example, in a four-team league received playoffs berths; the top three teams in five- and six-team leagues, and so on.

(That information and more about the playoffs can be found in the CIF-SS playoff bulletin.)

There are seven divisions in the playoffs, which begin with wild-card round games, if needed, Tuesday and Wednesday.

First-round games are Thursday for Divisions 1, 3, 5 and 7, and Friday for Divisions 2, 4 and 6.

For all divisions, second-round games are May 9, quarterfinals on May 12, semifinals on May 16 and finals on May 19 and 20 at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Here’s a league-by-league look at the automatic qualifiers, potential at-large teams and some notes on each league.

(A team’s overall record and playoff division are in parentheses.)

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Villa Park (18-10, Division 1); 2. El Dorado (16-11, Division 1).

At-large candidates: El Modena (14-12-1, Division 2); Foothill (14-14, Division 1).

Noteworthy: Villa Park’s Zach Brown has a team-high 21 RBIs and on the mound is 5-2, and Brandon Luu has a 1.18 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 53.1 innings. … El Dorado shut out Foothill 4-0 on Thursday to clinch the league’s second and final guaranteed playoff berth. … El Modena and Foothill could be viable at-large candidates if there are enough at-large berths in their divisions to accommodate them.

Villa Park starting pitcher Brandon Luu delivers a pitch against El Dorado in a Crestview League baseball game in San Juan Capistrano on Thursday, March 23, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Cypress (21-7, Division 1); 2. Pacifica (21-3, Division 1); 3. Crean Lutheran (20-8, Division 4).

At-large candidate: Kennedy (13-12-1, Division 5).

Noteworthy: Cypress and Pacifica tied for the league championship; a coin flip designed Cypress as the league’s No. 1 playoff representative. Pacifica beat Cypress 4-2 on Tuesday, thanks in large part to Chad Gurnea’s three shutout innings of relief. On Thursday Cypress’ Chewy Thomas hit a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to give Cypress a 2-1 win. … Crean lost one-run games to Cypress and Pacifica.

Pacifica’s Chad Gurnea (3) delivers a pitch against Cypress during their Empire League game in Garden Grove, CA, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Pacifica defeated Cypress, 4 to 2. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Fullerton (17-7, Division 2); 2. La Habra, 18-5-3, Division 4); 3. Sonora (13-15, Division 3).

At-large candidate: Sunny Hills (11-10-1, Division 4).

Noteworthy: Fullerton outfielder Connor Sunderland is batting .468 with 37 hits and 30 RBIs in 24 games. … La Habra pitcher Jared Day has a 1.07 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 48.1 innings.

Fullerton pitcher George Papadatos went five innings in a Freeway League game against La Habra on Wednesday, April 12. Papadatos gave up one hit and two walks with three strikeouts over five innings.(Photo by Lou Ponsi)

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Loara (10-10, Division 6); 2. Los Amigos (13-10, Division 6); 3. Santiago (9-11, Division 6).

At-large candidate: None

Noteworthy: Loara and Los Amigos both were 9-6 in league games. Loara is the league’s No. 1 playoff representative because Loara beat Los Amigos in two of their three league games.

Los Amigos’ Chris Betancourt crosses the plate to score a run against Loara in a Garden Grove League baseball game at Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)

GOLDEN WEST LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Ocean View (18-10, Division 2); 2. Segerstrom (9-13-2, Division 3); 3. Katella (13-12, Division 5).

At-large candidate: None.

Noteworthy: Ocean View was 9-1 in league and has wins over several playoff teams, including Empire League co-champion Pacifica. … Katella pitcher Luis Tinoco has a 1.75 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 52 innings.

Ocean View pitcher Spencer Johnson pitched a complete game and struck out 10 in a 9-2 victory over Katella on Tuesday, April 25. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)

ORANGE LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Savanna (17-4-1, Division 5); 2. Century (19-9, Division 5); 3. Anaheim (13-12, Division 5).

At-large candidate: None.

Noteworthy: Savanna went 10-0 in the league while scoring 112 in its league games. … Century has wins over playoff teams Estancia, Orange and Santiago. … Anaheim lost to Estancia in 11 innings in last season’s Division 6 championship game.

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Estancia (20-6, Division 5); 2. Orange (9-3, Division 4); 3. Calvary Chapel (14-13, Division 5); 4. Costa Mesa (18-8, Division 6).

At-large candidate: None

Noteworthy: Estancia, last season’s Division 6 champion, is led by pitcher/second baseman Andrew Mits and outfielder James De La O. … Orange won seven in a row to conclude the regular season. … Costa Mesa’s Grady Jackson has 35 RBIs.

Estancia’s John Uchytil runs down a sinking line drive into right field against Orange in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Yorba Linda (13-12-1, Division 3); 2. Brea Olinda (13-12-2, Division 4).

At-large candidate: Canyon (14-12, Division 4).

Noteworthy: Yorba Linda won its first North Hills League championship. … Brea Olinda got a huge win Thursday, a 4-3 triumph over Yorba Linda to secure the league’s second and final guaranteed playoff berth.

Players on the Yorba Linda baseball team celebrate on the field after defeating Brea Olinda 7-3 to clinch the North Hills League title for the first time. (Photo by Manny Alvarez)

OLYMPIC LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Maranatha (20-5, Division 1); 2. Whittier Christian (13-11, Division 5); 3. Village Christian (10-14-1, Division 5); 4. Valley Christian (10-11, Division 5).

At-large candidate: None.

Noteworthy: Maranatha, which is good enough to have played in the Boras Classic South tournament, went 12-0 in league. … Whittier Christian gave Marantha its closest league loss, 4-0.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Woodbridge (23-5, Division 2); 2. Northwood (17-11, Division 4); 3. Laguna Hills (18-9, Division 4); 4. Beckman (14-12-2, Division 3).

At-large candidate: University (14-13-1, Division 6).

Noteworthy: The Pacific Coast is an eight-team league in which every team plays a league opponent three times, so league games dominate the schedules. … Woodbridge, which went 19-2 in league, has a fine pitching staff that includes Matthew Kuromoto, who is 8-2 with a 1.03 ERA.

Woodbridge players and coaches pose for a group photo after winning the Pacific Coast League championship for the third year in a row. The Warriors defeated Beckman 14-5 on Thursday to clinch the title at Ryan Lemmon Park. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)

SAN JOAQUIN LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Capistrano Valley Christian (20-10, Division 2); 2. Calvary Chapel/Downey (15-8-2, Division 7); 3. Western Christian (15-2, Division 6); 4. Pacifica Christian (9-8-1, Division 7); 5. The Webb Schools (9-8-1, Division 7).

At-large candidate: None

Noteworthy: As a nine-team league the San Joaquin has five guaranteed entries for the playoffs. … Capistrano Valley Christian defeated Calvary Chapel on Friday afternoon to win the league championship.

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Aliso Niguel (14-13, Division 3); 2. San Clemente (18-10, Division 3).

At-large candidate: None.

Noteworthy: Aliso Niguel was 2-9 on March 24. The Wolverines have won six of their past seven games. … San Clemente’s Chase Brunson has 39 hits in 28 games.

Pitcher Cole Phister (26) pitches against San Juan Hills during a Sea View League baseball game at Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Tesoro (19-8, Division 2); 2. Capistrano Valley (13-13, Division 1); 3. Dana Hills (10-17, Division 3).

At-large candidates: Mission Viejo (15-13, Division 2); Trabuco Hills (13-14, Division 1).

Noteworthy: Tesoro, last season’s Division 4 champion and a CIF SoCal Regional champion, too, is 13-2 in April. … Titans leaders include outfielders Jackson Freeman and Owen Faust. … Capistrano Valley lost two one-run, extra-innings games to Tesoro this week.

Players and coaches for the Tesoro baseball team celebrate with a group photo after winning the South Coast League title outright with an extra-inning win over Capistrano Valley on Wednesday. (Photo by Michael Huntley)

SURF LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Huntington Beach (20-8, Division 1); 2. Fountain Valley (15-10, Division 2).

At-large candidate: Los Alamitos (15-12, Division 1).

Noteworthy: In two mega-prestigious tournaments, Huntington Beach won the championship of the National High School Invitational and lost to Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks in the Boras Classic South championship game. … The Oilers have one of the county’s better power hitters, catcher/first baseman Ralphy Velazquea. … Fountain Valley won two of its three games against Huntington Beach.

Huntington Beach’s Brian Trujillo, right, is greeted by teammates at home plate after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against Fountain Valley in a Surf League baseball game in Fountain Valley on Friday, April 21, 2023. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

TRINITY LEAGUE

Qualifiers: 1. Santa Margarita (18-9, Division 1); 2. Mater Dei (16-11-1, Division 2); 3. JSerra (18-9, Division 1).

At-large candidates: Orange Lutheran (17-10-1, Division 1); Servite (14-14, Division 1).

Noteworthy: No. 1-ranked Santa Margarita, which has a superb roster that includes Luke Lavin at catcher and Collin Clarke at pitcher, is among Orange County baseball’s bigger surprises this season. The Eagles won the championship in this great league with a 14-1 league record. … Mater Dei swept JSerra in an early-season, three-game series. … Defending Division 1 champion JSerra beat Orange Lutheran in two of three games in the final week of the regular season.

Santa Margarita players celebrate their 11-2 win over Mater Dei in a Trinity League game that clinched the league title for the Eagles for the first time in school history on Friday, April 21, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

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Orange County Register