Softball: Valencia should be charged up for El Toro

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The highlight of the third day of the Michelle Carew Classic at Peralta Park could be a rematch between two Southland powers.

Valencia, ranked No. 3 by The Times, should be well-motivated when when it looks to avenge last month’s 1-0 loss to No. 10 El Toro when the teams take the field at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

But that isn’t the only reason Valencia should be sky-high. The Vikings -- No. 4 in the state rankings -- were upset Thursday by Oceanside El Camino in pool play. Worse, they gave up a five-run seventh inning and lost, 6-1, to the No. 8 team in the San Diego Section. That bad inning may have spoiled both Valencia’s and El Toro’s chances of advancing to the championship semifinals on Saturday.

The tie-breaker is based on run differential. El Toro must play El Camino at 3:30. If El Camino wins, it automatically advances. If El Toro wins, then Valencia will probably have to beat El Toro by several runs in order to advance.

Should be interesting.

Here’s the schedule for Friday’s games at Peralta Park:

Villa Park vs. Colton, 1:15 p.m.
Garden Grove Pacifica vs. Anaheim Canyon, 1:30 p.m.
Garden Grove vs. Murrieta Valley, 3 p.m.
Lakewood vs. Cypress, 3 p.m.
Kennedy vs. Sonora, 3:15 p.m.
El Toro vs. Oceanside El Camino, 3:30
Lakewood vs. Chino, 5 p.m.
Esperanza vs. Don Lugo, 5:15 p.m.
Vista Murrieta vs. Norco, 5:30 p.m.
Garden Grove vs. El Dorado, 7 p.m.
Kennedy vs. Long Beach Wilson, 7:15 p.m.
El Toro vs. El Camino, 7:30 p.m.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.valenciavikings.com