Mater Dei Opts for Night Playoff Game

The start of today’s Southern Section Division I second-round baseball game between Santa Ana Mater Dei and visiting Crescenta Valley has been moved to 7 p.m.

Mater Dei Coach Burt Call had the option of playing in the afternoon, when some believe it would be easier to pick up the mid-90s fastball of Crescenta Valley right-hander Trevor Bell (8-2).

But Call said the Monarchs (20-8) are well-tested at night and comfortable playing on their field, which was upgraded with lights and synthetic turf this season.

“We just feel like we have a great facility and a great atmosphere,” he said. “We play a lot of games at night and have a lot of success.”

Call said he plans to start senior right-hander Scott DeNault (6-2) against the Falcons (23-3).

Dan Arritt

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West Valley League rivals Chatsworth and Woodland Hills El Camino Real will try to finish their march into the City Section championship game with semifinal victories today.

Top-seeded and two-time defending champion Chatsworth (28-3) will play host to fourth-seeded South Gate (30-4). Third-seeded Granada Hills Kennedy (26-7) will travel to second-seeded El Camino Real (26-6).

Both games are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. The winners will meet at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Dodger Stadium for the City title.

Softball

With top-seeded Garden Grove Pacifica eliminated from the playoffs after a 1-0 loss to Laguna Hills on Friday, second-seeded Valencia becomes the team to beat in the Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Valencia (26-3), which won the Irvine Woodbridge tournament and was ranked No. 1 in the Southland by The Times earlier this season, will play host to Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos (17-7) in a second-round game at 3 p.m. today. The Vikings will start senior Courtney Baughman (10-0).

Honors

Goleta Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara Laguna Blanca had teams with the top grade-point averages in six of 23 sports to dominate the large- (1,500 or more students) and small-school categories of the 2005 Southern Section Academic Awards program.

Dos Pueblos had the top GPA in baseball, boys’ cross-country, girls’ swimming, boys’ and girls’ track and field and boys’ water polo.

Laguna Blanca led in baseball, boys’ basketball, football, boys’ golf, boys’ soccer and softball.

The highest GPA was 3.921, accomplished by the boys’ cross-country team at Sun Valley Village Christian.

A complete list can be found at CIFSS.org.

Tony Diaz of Oxnard High was selected the state athletic director of the year at the 36th California State Athletic Directors Assn. awards banquet held earlier this month in Palm Springs.