Some Like It Hot During Playoffs

Seedings, schmeedings.

Winning the Southern Section baseball playoffs isn’t as much about seedings as it is about getting hot at the right time. Last season, only one of the six No. 1 seeds, Simi Valley Grace Brethren, won a section title, and that was in Division VI.

Unseeded Capistrano Valley and Whittier California, meanwhile, won championships in Divisions I and II after putting together three weeks of terrific baseball.

One team that appears to be playing its best heading into the playoffs, which begin today with wild-card games, is Cypress. The unseeded Centurions won their last five games and are tournament-tested after reaching the championship game of the National Classic in April.

“That was a playoff-type atmosphere all four games,” Cypress Coach Dave Lewis said. “Playing the finals and the semifinals at Cal State Fullerton--I can’t see it being more pressure-packed in the playoffs, at least the first round or two.”

Cypress plays at Riverside La Sierra in a first-round Division III game Friday.

For the first time in recent memory, the county is without a top seed. But there are three No. 2 seeds: Esperanza in Division I, Mater Dei in Division II and La Quinta in Division IV. El Dorado is the No. 3 seed in Division III, Liberty Christian is the No. 3 seed in Division VI and Calvary Chapel is the No. 4 seed in Division V.

Here’s a look at each division:

Division I--Capistrano Valley will start its title defense on the road at Westminster, against a team that has sought respect while piling up victories. The Cougars will have to face Lion ace Freddie Rodriguez, who is 8-1 with a 1.32 earned-run average, in a pitcher’s ballpark. . . . Aliso Niguel was sailing right along until the last two weeks, when it went 1-3 to finish third in the Sea View League. “We never even saw a bump in the road in our first 21 games [when Aliso Niguel was 17-4 and ranked sixth in the county],” Wolverine Coach Mike Chapman said, “so I’m interested to see how we respond.” The Wolverines, who play at Downey Warren, will need to respond quickly because both Bear starting pitchers are 5-2 with ERAs under 1.60.

Division II--Perhaps the most intriguing first-round matchup is University at Edison. The Chargers are an up-and-down team, capable of beating Esperanza twice in one week and losing to Fountain Valley twice in another. University finished in second place in the weak Pacific Coast League, but the Trojans possess the always-dangerous Jay Nichols, who is hitting .519 with three home runs and 39 RBIs. . . . San Clemente, which was ranked No. 1 in the county early in the season, is a team to watch after winning a share of its first league title since 1976.

Division III--Third-seeded El Dorado has to like its chances with hitter Joe Turgeon and pitchers Nick McMillan and Jeff Flaig in the lineup. Turgeon is batting .506 and McMillan and Flaig are a combined 16-3. The Golden Hawks, who lost in the second round last season, are trying to recreate their magical title run of 1999. . . . Savanna went 1-10 in nonleague games but 10-5 in Orange League play to give the Rebels a piece of their first league title since 1979, when they won the Freeway League.

Division IV--Servite’s bid for an at-large selection was accepted, while Western’s was not. Section assistant commissioner Rob Wigod said the Friars’ strength of schedule, plus the fact that they won nine of their last 11 games, helped them win a berth..

Division V--Fourth-seeded Calvary Chapel heads into the playoffs with a new coach. Former major league pitcher Dan Naulty took over for Mike Williams a few weeks ago after Williams resigned. Naulty is trying to get the Eagles into the championship game for second time in three years.

Division VI--Third-seeded Liberty Christian, which hosts Temecula Linfield in the first round, is the Cinderella story of the season after qualifying for the playoffs after a 1-7 start.

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BASEBALL TOP 10

Orange County Sportswriters’

Final Poll

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Pos. School League Rec Pts 1T. Esperanza (1) Sunset 21-5 45 1T. Mater Dei (2) Serra 22-4 45 1T. La Quinta (3) G. Grove 24-3 45 4. El Dorado (4) Empire 21-5 35 5. Sonora (5) Freeway 21-4-1 20 6T. Cypress (7) Empire 19-7 15 6T. Edison (10) Sunset 17-8-1 15 8. Villa Park (9) Century 20-6 14 9. S. Clemente (NR) S. Coast 19-7 13 10. Irvine (8) Sea View 18-7 11

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Others: Capistrano Valley (18-8), Trabuco Hills (18-8), Laguna Hills (15-10), Aliso Niguel (18-7).

Last week’s rankings in parentheses