SOFTBALL

* El Toro vs. Mater Dei, Mile Square Park, 3:15 p.m. Friday: Top-seeded Mater Dei (25-3) didn’t get any favors by drawing wild-card winner El Toro (19-10), the Sea View League’s third-place team in this Division I first-round game. Monarch pitchers Tia Bollinger (13-1, 0.15) and Marissa Young (10-2, 0.00) are hard to beat, but the Chargers--ranked eighth in Orange County--have nothing to lose.

* Troy vs. Kennedy, Cypress Arnold Park, 3:15 p.m. Friday: Troy (19-10) has a solid record and Kennedy (18-6) has played the tougher schedule. The Fighting Irish, playing Division II this season, reached the Division III semifinals last year. They have a strong softball tradition while Troy, led by sophomore pitcher Lindsey Knoff (15-7, 0.49 ERA), is hoping for the upset.

* Garden Grove at Laguna Hills, 3:15 p.m. Friday: Laguna Hills (18-7) is the only Pacific Coast League team with a winning record, and Garden Grove (17-8-1)--second to Pacifica in the Garden Grove League--provides a nice foil in this Division III game. There’s a nice pitching matchup, too, Laguna Hills’ Leea Harlan (13-4, 0.36 ERA) vs. Nuvia Marti (12-4, 0.58).