Simi Valley, Esperanza Play Today in 4-A Semifinals

Top-seeded Simi Valley (26-3) meets Esperanza of Anaheim (23-4-1) at Cal State Fullerton, and Fontana (18-7) plays El Dorado of Placentia (22-5) at Fullerton College in 4-A Division games as the Southern Section baseball playoffs move into the semifinal round today. Both games are at 3 p.m.

In 3-A, Lompoc takes an 18-7 record against Rio Mesa (23-4) at Cabrillo in a rematch of last season’s championship game, won by Rio Mesa, 9-1. The other matchup has El Segundo (26-5-1) and Western of Anaheim (24-4) at Glover Stadium in Anaheim.

Mission Viejo (19-7) meets Artesia (20-7) at UC Irvine, while Montclair (23-5) faces Saugus (19-7) at 7 p.m. at Upland Memorial Park in 2-A games. The 1-A has Gladstone (17-7-1) against St. Anthony of Long Beach (18-8) at Long Beach’s Blair Field and St. Bernard of Playa del Rey (18-8) against Baldwin Park (17-5) at Azusa Pacific.

Other than Simi Valley, Providence of Burbank is the only top-seeded team still in the playoffs. The Pioneers (22-2) meet Windward of Mar Vista (16-7) at Pasadena Poly in Small Schools play, while Linfield Christian of Temecula (20-3-1) takes on Pasadena Poly (12-6-1) at Elsinore.

In softball, St. Joseph of Lakewood (20-7-1), coming off a 29-inning, 101-strikeout game against Gahr of Cerritos last Thursday and Friday, plays Downey (17-8) at Del Valle Park in Lakewood, while Fountain Valley (24-4) takes on Cerritos (17-7) at Golden West College in another 4-A game.

Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta is the only non-Orange County team still alive in 3-A, and the Falcons (22-4) will have a home-field advantage when they meet Sonora (16-10) at Glorietta Park in Glendale. Woodbridge of Irvine (20-3) plays Valencia of Placentia (16-8) at El Dorado High in Placentia.

The 2-A has top-seeded Charter Oak of Covina (26-1) and Arroyo (20-1) at Mountain View High in El Monte, and Corona (22-2) and El Toro (22-5) at Alicia Park in Mission Viejo. In 1-A, Paraclete (19-2) and Cabrillo (13-12) play at Lancaster City Park, and Miraleste of Rancho Palos Verdes (21-1) travels to Bowman Field in Riverside to meet Notre Dame of Riverside (17-6).

Trona (15-4) and Avalon (17-3) at Burroughs High of Ridgecrest and Linfield Christian (19-4) and Ramona Convent of Alhambra (16-5) at Temecula Sports Park comprise the Small Schools schedule.