Southern Section Softball Finals : Title Games in Six Divisions to Be Played Today, Saturday

The Southern Section girls’ softball championships will be held today and Saturday at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.

In the 4-A Division final tonight at 8, Anaheim Western (26-5) will play Ventura Buena (27-2).

Western is led by pitcher Dawn Fowler, who has four consecutive shutouts in the playoffs, among them a 4-0 semifinal victory over La Palma Kennedy. Buena defeated Diamond Bar, 4-3, to advance.

Preceding the 4-A final today will be the 2-A title game at 4:30 p.m., in which Sante Fe of Santa Fe Springs (16-2) will play Riverside Notre Dame (22-4). Santa Fe defeated Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 1-0, and Notre Dame defeated Pico Rivera El Rancho, 7-1, to advance to the final.

On Saturday, the 5-A Division title game will match St. Joseph of Lakewood (24-1) and Cerritos Gahr (24-2-1) at 8 p.m. Pitcher Lisa Fernandez led St. Joseph to victory in a semifinal game against Thousand Oaks, 2-0, with 18 strikeouts. Gahr defeated Righetti of Santa Maria in the semifinals, 1-0.

Mission Viejo, which had a 14-8 regular-season record, has won four straight in the playoffs and will meet Covina (25-0-1) for the 3-A championship at 5:30. Mission Viejo advanced on a 6-2 win over Riverside Ramona, after defeating top-seeded La Mirada in the second round, 2-1. Covina advanced by beating Saugus, 7-2.

Agoura (22-2) and Big Bear (19-6) will play for the 1-A championship at 2:30. Agoura defeated Lancaster Paraclete, 10-3, and Big Bear beat Ventura St. Bonaventure, 5-1, to advance.

Avalon (20-0) meets Templeton (17-7) in the Small Schools title game at noon. Avalon defeated Temecula Linfield, 2-0, and Templeton defeated Mammoth of Mammoth Lakes, 8-4, to advance.