Softball: Day 1 results from Faster to First
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The implosion of The Times’ top five softball rankings is complete.
Third-ranked Valencia, the only team among the quintet that won its opening game in the Faster to First tournament this afternoon, lost, 6-5, in eight innings to Elk Grove Pleasant Grove this evening in its second pool-play game.
Five teams have clinched berths in the championship quarterfinals with a pair of wins Thursday: 10th-ranked Esperanza, Anaheim Canyon, and El Modena from the Southland, along with a pair of Northern California teams, state No. 1 Sacramento Sheldon and Sheldon’s league rival Pleasant Grove.
The other three berths will be decided Friday as pool play concludes. Camarillo, which upended Ayala, can move into the championship bracket with a win Friday afternoon against Vail (Ariz.) Cienega; a Cienega win by fewer than nine runs would sent Ayala to the quarterfinals. Oakley Freedom can earn a quarterfinal berth with a win over Orland Park (Ill.) Sandburg; a Sandburg win by more than a run sends the Illinois squad to the championship bracket. Fairfield Rodriguez can win its pool with a win over -- or even a close loss to -- Farmington (N.M.) Piedra Vista.
Thursday’s pool play scores follow:
Sacramento Sheldon 2, Simi Valley 0
Sacramento Sheldon 3, Garden Grove Pacifica 0
Garden Grove Pacifica 7, Simi Valley 1
El Modena 2, Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange 1 (9)
El Modena 5, Honolulu St. Francis 2
Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange 7, Honolulu St. Francis 0
Camarillo 1, Ayala 0
Ayala 5, Vail (Ariz.) Cienega 0
Oakley Freedom 1, Norco 0
Norco 1, Orland Park (Ill.) Sandburg 0 (9)
Anaheim Canyon 2, Phoenix Sunnyslope 1
Anaheim Canyon 4, El Toro 0
El Toro 3, Phoenix Sunnyslope 2
Fairfield Rodriguez 4, Hart 1
Hart 4, Farmington (N.M.) Piedra Vista 1
Elk Grove Pleasant Grove 3, Vista Murrieta 1
Elk Grove Pleasant Grove 6, Valencia 5 (8)
Valencia 2, Vista Murrieta 1
Esperanza 2, Peoria (Ariz.) Sunrise Mountain 1
Esperanza 8, Chino 1
Friday action begins at 1 p.m. at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex; the championship bracket pairings are as follows:
Sacramento Sheldon vs. El Modena, 5:15 p.m.
Pool C winner (Camarillo/Ayala) vs. Pool D winner (Freedom/Sandburg/Norco), 5:15 p.m.
Elk Grove Pleasant Grove vs. Esperanza, 7:15 p.m.
Anaheim Canyon (20) v Pool F winner (Rodriguez./Piedra Vista/Hart), 7:15 p.m.
-- Eric Maddy