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    Baseball teams battling for position before CIF-SS playoff pairings released
    • May 4, 2026

    The most interesting day in Orange County baseball this week will be a day on which no games will be played.

    The CIF Southern Section playoff brackets will be released Saturday at 1 p.m.

    That’s when the at-risk teams find out if they found a way to get into the playoffs. That’s also when teams find out who they play in the first round and who they could possibly meet later in the playoffs.

    This is the second season in which computer rankings will be used to place teams in the playoff divisions. Those rankings are also used to seed teams in the divisions.

    The final day of the regular season is Wednesday.

    The final league standings are important. The top three teams in five- and six-team leagues are automatic qualifiers for the playoffs. The top four teams in seven- and eight-teams leagues are also automatic qualifiers.

    This week’s CIF-SS baseball rankings will be made public Tuesday. With so few games remaining, those rankings will offer a fairly clear look at where teams will be placed and how teams will be seeded.

    Some very good Orange County teams are not going to be automatic qualifiers and must hope they get selected as an at-large team.

    Mater Dei and Servite are in the running for the Trinity League’s third and final automatic playoff spot. One of those two will have to hope there is an at-large berth for it in Division 2, which, according to the latest rankings, is the likely division for Mater Dei or Servite, or both.

    Aliso Niguel is the No. 4 team in the five-team South Coast League. The Wolverines (16-9-2 overall) are another fine team that will be in the at-large pool.

    Fountain Valley's baseball team defeated Marina 11-1 in a Sunset League game Friday, May 1, 2026, with big contributions from, back row from left, Josh Grack, Luke Scuncio and Noah McGee, and (kneeling) Andrew Harviston. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)
    Fountain Valley’s baseball team defeated Marina 11-1 in a Sunset League game Friday, May 1, 2026, with big contributions from, back row from left, Josh Grack, Luke Scuncio and Noah McGee, and (kneeling) Andrew Harviston. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)

    Fountain Valley (13-14 overall) will not be an automatic qualifier from the Sunset League. The Barons need to beat Warren on Tuesday in a nonleague game to get to .500 and be eligible for at-large berth.

    NOTES

    JSerra, long a fixture in the baseball playoffs, will not be in the playoffs this season. The Lions will not be an  automatic qualifier in the Trinity League and will finish under .500. JSerra is 11-17. Santa Margarita (14-13) seems to be a longshot to get an at-large berth in Division 2. …

    Division 1 will be a 16-team bracket that will have a pool-play format for the first time. Each team is guaranteed two games. …

    The playoffs begin May 13 for Division 1 (pool play), May 14 for Divisions 2, 4, 6 and 8 and May 15 for Divisions 3, 5, 7 and 9. …

    If Mater Dei and Servite finish the regular season tied for third place in the Trinity League, Mater Dei would get the league’s third and final guaranteed playoff berth because the Monarchs won two of their three league games against Servite. …

    Servite beat Orange Lutheran, 1-0, last week without getting a hit in the Trinity League game. In the top of the seventh inning Servite’s Michael Cabral walked, advanced to second base on a sacrifice, moved to third base on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. …

    JSerra senior outfielder Blake Bowen homered in all three games of the Lions’ sweep of Santa Margarita last week. Bowen was 5 for 10 with three RBIs and eight runs scored as JSerra won by scores of 8-7, 13-3 and 9-6. He committed to Oregon State and is rated as an early-round selection in the MLB Draft that will be held July 11-13. …

    Five of JSerra’s 10 league losses were by one or two runs. …

    Pacifica Christian went 8-1 in the San Joaquin League for the school’s first varsity baseball league championship.

     

     Orange County Register 

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