Eight County Teams to Play in Softball Semifinals Today
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When the Southern Section softball playoffs resume this afternoon, eight teams from the county will take the field. The matchups, all scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m., feature three all-county games.
In Division 5-A, Empire League runner-up Cypress (23-5) plays host to Garden Grove League runner-up Kennedy (22-6) at Cypress College. The other two games with county teams facing each other are the 4-A game between El Toro (24-8-1) and Foothill (24-7) at Canyon High and the 3-A game between Sea View League rivals University (21-10) and Woodbridge (28-4) at Heritage Park.
Two other county teams head north for their games today. In 5-A, top-seeded Mater Dei (19-1-1) goes to Simi Valley to play the Pioneers (25-2) at Santa Susana Park and in 4-A, Freeway League champion La Habra (25-2) travels to College of the Canyons in Valencia to play Newhall Hart (18-4).
Kennedy and Cypress are coming off impressive quarterfinal victories. Kennedy knocked off second-seeded Thousand Oaks, 2-0, on a one-hitter by Nicole Paloney (10-2) and Cypress eliminated third-seeded Fountain Valley, 1-0 in nine innings, on a one-hitter by Monica Jimenez (21-4). The right-handers probably will oppose each other today.
Another pair of outstanding pitchers will battle when University and top-seeded Woodbridge meet for the third time this season. The teams split their previous games.
University left-hander Michele Ponce (17-5) has shut out four consecutive playoff opponents and Woodbridge right-hander Alison Ward (17-2), who has started the three playoff games for the Warriors and done the bulk of the pitching, is fresh off a 1-0 victory over Walnut Friday.
Foothill, the Century League champion, is one game away from a second consecutive appearance in the 4-A finals. The Knights, who lost the championship game last year to Irvine, 1-0, rely on right-hander Leeann Gonzalez (22-5). Her pitching opponent today probably will be right-hander Misty Lauby (17-3).
The county is guaranteed at least one team in each of the finals, which will be played on Friday and Saturday at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.
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