Today’s Southern Section Baseball Playoff Games

DIVISION I

Fontana (25-2) vs. Fountain Valley (24-3-1), Long Beach Blair Field, 7 p.m.

The winner will probably be the favorite to win the title Saturday at Anaheim Stadium. Defending champion Fountain Valley is seeded second and Fontana third; top-seeded Long Beach Millikan was eliminated. The Barons--trying to become the first county team to win back-to-back titles--have been struggling offensively except for the 11-1 blowout of Mission Hills Alemany. They will need Greg Hanoian (.432, 33 RBIs), Dan Keller (.404) and Matt Roman (.375) to stir things up. Senior right-hander Luke Hudson (6-1, 1.85 earned-run average) will start. Fontana, trying to get to the championship game for the first time since 1986, will counter with junior right-hander Mike Torres (9-0, 0.82), who has given up only eight earned runs in 68 innings. Torres can be a bit wild; three of his 11 hit batters came last week in the 3-2 victory over Playa Del Rey St. Bernard. The Steelers boast four .400 hitters in their lineup, led by catcher Ralph Sierra (.420). Outfielder Kris Stevens (eight homers, 38 RBIs), a top pitcher as well, provides the power.

DIVISION II

Temecula Valley (25-3) vs. Sonora (22-4-2), Cypress College, 3:15 p.m.

The last time the Raiders got this deep into the playoffs--1972 when they beat Channel Islands for the 2-A title, and 1973 when they were the runners-up--the Brady Bunch was the quintessential television family. Sonora will get a stern test from the third-seeded Golden Bears. The Raiders have made it this far by depending on the arms of right-hander Junior Rodriguez (8-0, 2.77) and David Miller (8-3), and the bats of outfielder Albert Lopez (.432)--seven for nine in three playoff games--and Marc Patino (.407), whose 38 RBIs have set a single-season school record. Temecula catcher Roddy Friar (.490) has a sense of the dramatic with three grand slams this season; second baseman Jason Clements set a school record for hits (44) in his first 18 games. The teams faced each other last year in the Glendora tournament; Sonora was leading, 7-2, before Temecula Valley rallied to win, 8-7.

DIVISION III

Pico Rivera El Rancho (18-6) vs. La Quinta (25-3-1), Whittier California High, 3:15 p.m.

The Aztecs--who, like Fountain Valley, are seeking back-to-back titles--have brushed aside three playoff opponents by a combined score of 17-4. El Rancho scored 17 runs in its Friday game against Riverside Norte Vista--while giving up 15. The Dons should see better pitching from La Quinta starter Joe Garcia (8-1, 2.07); the junior left-hander has lost only one game in two varsity seasons. But if he gets in trouble, reliever Tom Clark (one save) or unbeaten starter Craig Jones (13-0)--who worked six innings in the 7-1 victory Friday against Irvine--are ready to step in. The Dons must stop Aztec offensive standouts Craig Kuzmic (.396, 12 homers, 38 RBIs), Brian Martin (.381, one homer, 18 RBIs), C.J. Livernois (.330, one homer, 28 RBIs) and Jon Gibson (.390, one homer, 32 RBIs). La Quinta must quiet Anthony Najera (.500), Gonzalo Nieto (.452) and Ron Leos (.414).

Ontario Chaffey (21-8) vs. Santa Margarita (21-7), Saddleback College, 3:15 p.m.

Santa Margarita has the talent to win it all--and that assessment comes from La Quinta Coach Dave Demarest, whose team is favored to win it all. The Eagles are indeed a hot team, having scored eight runs in each of their past two playoff games. But Chaffey is no pushover; the Tigers are batting .349. Chaffey will start George Ibarra (8-2, 2.25), and will support him with last year’s Inland Valley player of the year Craig Ienini (.471, five homers, 39 RBIs) and Mike Rodriguez (.451, two homers, 31 RBIs). Santa Margarita counters with Chris Tessman (.420, three homers, 14 RBIs) and Fritz Maskrey (.425, two homers, 16 RBIs) at the plate, and junior right-hander Justin Parker (6-1, 1.22) on the hill.

DIVISION V

Santa Monica St. Monica (15-7) vs. Calvary Chapel (17-9-1), Loyola Marymount University, 3:15 p.m.

The Eagles are flying high after eliminating top-seeded Phelan Serrano on Friday. Calvary Chapel will start either Josh Stewart (9-1, 1.81) or John Tucker (8-6, 1.12). Stewart pitched Friday, and the Eagle coaches don’t know if they want to bring him back this soon. The key to Calvary’s offense is the middle of its batting order: Joe Jones (.535, two homers, 23 RBIs)--who has set a school career record in hits with 150, five short of the Orange County record set by Brett Nista of Laguna Hills (1992-94)--Kenny Nash (.393, two homers, 16 RBIs) and Justin Lentini (.367, one homer, 24 RBIs). The Mariners have won 13 of their last 14.