His Forecasting Doesn’t Quite Cover All Bases

A year ago, Cypress Coach Scott Pickler was certain his baseball team would earn a regional playoff berth after finishing tied for third in the Orange Empire Conference.

He was wrong.

This year, he seemed almost equally certain his team wouldn’t be going to postseason play after finishing fifth.

Wrong again.

Five Orange Empire teams qualified for the Southern California playoffs, whose pairings were announced Monday. Conference champion Rancho Santiago is seeded first.

Orange Coast, Riverside and Saddleback join the Dons and Cypress in the best-of-three playoffs, which are Saturday and Sunday at the site of the team with the better seeding. The Saturday game is at noon; play on Sunday starts at 11 a.m. A second game Sunday follows 30 minutes after the first, if needed.

Five Orange Empire teams qualified, based on the conference’s overall strength. Orange Empire Conference teams were 63-11 in games against nonconference opponents. The South Coast Conference, at 44-26, was second best.

“I did my homework,” said Cypress Coach Scott Pickler, who was the conference’s representative in the Monday meeting. “Still, I wasn’t sure when I went into the meeting that we would make it. But once it was all out on paper, it was easy.”

Here are the first-round pairings:

Rancho Santiago (32-8) plays host to No. 16 Southwestern (21-18); No. 15 Long Beach (19-18) is at No. 2 College of the Canyons (29-8); No. 14 Los Angeles Pierce (22-15) is at Los Angeles Harbor (28-10); No. 13 Los Angeles Mission (25-13) is at No. 4 Chaffey (30-10); No. 14 Cypress (27-15) is at No. 5 Mt. San Antonio (29-9); No. 11 San Bernardino Valley (30-10) is at No. 6 Orange Coast (24-16); No. 12 Saddleback (29-12) is at No. 7 San Diego Mesa (27-13), and No. 9 Riverside (28-14) is at No. 8 East Los Angeles (23-16).

Rancho Santiago has reached the playoffs six consecutive seasons. The only question for the Dons is the health of starting pitcher Brandon Hoalton, who left in the second inning of Saturday’s 21-10 victory over OCC because of a sore arm.

“Other than that, we’re ready to go,” Coach Don Sneddon said. “I wish they started tomorrow.”

Orange Coast, under first-year Coach John Altobelli, is making its first appearance in the playoffs since 1989. Saddleback is in postseason play for the first time since 1984.

“We’re just excited to be there,” Saddleback Coach Jack Hodges said.

The eight winners of the weekend series will advance to two four-team regional sites next weekend. The State tournament is May 29-31 at Sacramento College.

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Irvine Valley volley: It didn’t take the Irvine Valley men’s volleyball program to become a state power under Coach Tom Pestolesi.

The Lasers, in only their second season, won the State title Saturday at West Valley College. The Lasers beat Long Beach, 15-6, 13-15, 15-13, 15-10, in the title match.

Irvine Valley (18-1) had advanced by beating Santa Monica, 15-12, 5-15, 15-12, 15-11, Friday in one semifinal.

“I would like to say I’m surprised we won the title so quickly,” Pestolesi said. “But I’m not because the area is so loaded with talent.”

Zolti Csanyi, an outside hitter from University High, was selected the tournament’s most valuable player. Martin Wagner, another outside hitter from University, and setter Eric Olson, from Capistrano Valley, also made the all-tournament team.

It was Billy Nguyen, whom Pestolesi called the “glue of the team,” who served the final point to win the title.

“It was the perfect way to end it. Billy kissed the ball before he served the game-winning ace.”

Community College Notes

Jeff Porter and Matt Manwarren, forwards on Orange Coast’s basketball team, have signed to play next season. Porter is going to Adams (Colo.) State. Manwarren will play at Humboldt State.