SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

In another 4-A wild-card game:

Irvine 7, Santa Ana 4--Irvine scored five runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead. David Seal (7-7) went the distance and added a two-run double in the third for Irvine. Scott Brandino had a two-run single in the third to give Irvine the 6-0 lead and chase Santa Ana starter Mike Castaneda (2-3).

Octavio Medina had two hits for Santa Ana (12-14).

The loss ended the 32-year career of Santa Ana Coach Bill Ross, who finished with a 477-235 record.

In a 3-A wild-card game:

Woodbridge 3, Estancia 2--Woodbridge, grateful for the chance to play in a Southern Section playoffs this season after going 4-20 last year, made the most of it Tuesday in Costa Mesa.

The Warriors (13-11), who finished third in the Pacific Coast League, came from behind with a two-run seventh inning to advance to a first-round playoff game Friday at Bellflower High School.

“This is great,” said first-year Coach Johnny Zavallos. “I don’t know if they took us lightly or not, but we were trying to get some respect in baseball.”

Woodbridge tied the score in the seventh on a suicide squeeze play. Pinch-runner Tyrell Ash, who reached third on pinch-hitter Trent Zappen’s single, broke for home but Estancia catcher Paul McDaniels called for a pitchout.

Batter Ken Audibert distracted McDaniel by lunging across the plate to try and foul off the pitch, and the ball deflected off McDaniels’ glove and Ash scored to tie the game.

Pitcher Greg Brannis struck out Audibert and intentionally walked Tim Kingsbury. Justin Fisher then drove in Zappen with a double that would have been a triple, but Kingsbury was called out after failing to touch second base.