Simi Valley Faces Familiar Roadblock : High school baseball: Pioneers, eliminated by Esperanza in 1986 and ‘88, seek first Southern Section title in game against Aztecs.

For those with a memory for such things, this might seem a bit familiar.

Simi Valley High is playing Esperanza in the playoffs.

In 1986, the teams met in the semifinals. Two years later, the meeting came in the quarterfinals. At 7:30 tonight at Anaheim Stadium, the Southern Section Division I championship is on the line.

The 1986 Simi Valley team featured current major leaguers Scott Radinsky and Tim Laker and, like this year’s team, was ranked No. 1 in the nation. The ’88 team was led by Scott Sharts, who held the Southern Section record for home runs in a career at the time. This year’s crew, which includes standouts such as Trevor Leppard, Kevin Nykoluk and Ryan Hankins, hopes history doesn’t repeat itself.

In 1986, the Aztecs upset Simi Valley, 6-5, on a two-run home run in the sixth inning against Shaun Murphy, now a Pioneer assistant. Esperanza went on to win the title and earn a No. 1 national ranking. In 1988, Esperanza hammered Simi Valley, 10-1.

Tonight . . . . stick around.

Esperanza (24-5) hangs its hopes of a second championship on ace right-hander Marcus Jones (11-2, 1.78 earned-run average), who complements a hard fastball with a sharp curve. He struck out four and gave up only a bloop single in the final three innings of a 2-0 victory over Crespi in the semifinal Tuesday.

“They’re good,” Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers said of Esperanza, “and when Marcus Jones pitches, they are very good.”

Tonight will be Jones’ second start against a team ranked No. 1 in the nation. He lost to Miami’s Westminster Christian in the Upper Deck tournament in March. It was in Fullerton that Esperanza got its first look at Simi Valley (27-3), which won the tournament.

“They went through that tournament like everyone was standing still,” Esperanza Coach Mike Curran said. “They deserve every accolade that they have gotten.”

Esperanza shortstop Poncho Ruiz, who is batting .413, almost single-handedly beat Crespi with his glove. Ruiz and Jones were co-most valuable players of the Empire League, which Esperanza won.

Last season, Ruiz and Jones were injured. They were able to hit, but Ruiz could not play shortstop and Jones could not pitch. The result: Esperanza missed the playoffs with a 12-13 record.

That was an aberration for the Aztecs, who have made the playoffs nine of the past 11 seasons. This is their fourth trip to the championship game in that span.

Ruiz, Jones (.365) and catcher Jason Murietta (.531), who led Orange County players in hitting, are the heart of Esperanza’s offense, which has a .340 average.

Leppard, a senior right-hander, is faced with shutting down the Aztecs. Leppard (8-1, 1.89) pitched two innings Tuesday in the Pioneers’ 10-0 victory over Notre Dame because Scyphers wanted him to regain confidence after he had walked eight in 3 1/3 innings in the quarterfinal against Diamond Bar. Leppard was taken off the hook in that game by the Pioneer offense in an 8-6 victory. Simi Valley is batting .389 and regularly has been running up double-digit scores.

The Pioneers, who are making their first appearance in a Southern Section championship game, have been led by Nykoluk (.476, 10 home runs, 50 runs batted in), who was drafted in the 20th round by the Montreal Expos on Friday, Hankins (.510, 12 homers, 57 RBIs) and second baseman Britten Pond (.519, six home runs, 47 RBIs). Left fielder Scott Miller, who was 0 for six during the Marmonte League season, has three home runs in the playoffs.

If Jones is unable to stop Simi Valley, Curran can turn to left-hander George Hart (4-0), who held Crespi to one run in four innings. Hart, who had shoulder surgery in December, has won his only two starts this season--both in the playoffs.

Another interesting matchup will be the Pioneers’ running game against Murietta, who allowed only three stolen bases in league play.

The two previous victories over Simi Valley do nothing to ease Curran’s concerns about this Pioneer team.

“I don’t think we’ve spotted any weakness,” he said. “This is a true No. 1 team in the nation.”

SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Simi Valley (27-3) vs. Esperanza (24-5)

7:30 tonight at Anaheim Stadium

Probable Starting Lineups

Simi Valley P: Trevor Leppard 8-1 C: Kevin Nykoluk .476 1B: Bill Scheffels .341 2B: Britten Pond .519 SS: Ryan Briggs .355 3B: Ryan Hankins .510 LF: Scott Miller .286 CF: Jason Alcala .259 RF: Aaron Whitle .373 DH: Jeff Michael .418

Esperanza P: Marcus Jones 11-2 C: Jason Murrietta .531 1B: Jason Webb .262 2B: Bobby Ponce .303 SS: Poncho Ruiz .413 3B: Billy O’Connor .308 LF: Jeff Campau .324 CF: Sal Hernandez .337 RF: Kenny Hall .091 DH: Jeremy Viscusi .277