Jordan, Marical Lead Pacifica Past La Serna

Julie Jordan’s home run down the left-field line in the third inning was all Pacifica needed Friday as the visiting Mariners beat Whittier La Serna, 1-0, in a Southern Section Division III quarterfinal.

Pacifica (23-8-1), the three-time defending champion, will play Sonora in a semifinal Tuesday.

Pitcher Jessica Marical (16-1), who struggled with her control in Pacifica’s first two playoff victories--against El Dorado, 3-1, and El Modena, 1-0--had no such problem against the Lancers.

Marical, a freshman, struck out three, walked one and allowed only three hits to third-seeded La Serna (20-6).

*

Etiwanda upset second-seeded Moreno Valley Valley View in the Southern Section Division I softball quarterfinals, and that means Foothill will play at home once more.

Had Valley View won, the third-seeded Knights would have been on the road against Valley View pitcher Keira Goerl, who knocked Foothill from last year’s playoffs with a perfect game. But Valley View managed only one hit, and Etiwanda scored on a single, two bunts and a passed ball.

Foothill will host Etiwanda at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday. Top-seeded Mater Dei will play at Camarillo in the other Division I semifinal.

In Division III, Laguna Hills will play at Hacienda Heights Wilson, the division’s top-seeded team. A coin flip will determine the host for the other semifinal, which features Pacifica against second-seeded Sonora.