Four make CIF playoffs

By JEFF TULLY

May 14, 2012 12 AM PT

Going into the final game of the regular season, all four local softball teams had either secured league titles or had the chance to capture a share of a championship in their respective leagues.

With successful seasons, Burroughs High, Burbank, Bellarmine-Jefferson and Providence all qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs, as pairings were released Monday morning.

For the Indians, who won the Pacific League crown, and for the Guards, who took the title in the Santa Cruz League, both garnered No. 2 seeds in their respective divisions.

“It’s nice to get the second seed, but our division has so many tough teams that we are going to have to work our way through the bracket no matter where we were seeded,” Burroughs Coach Doug Nicol said. “But we’re excited about being in the playoffs and we are happy to open up at home.”

Burroughs (23-3) will begin Division III play Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at Olive Park. The Indians will take on the winner of Tuesday’s wild-card game between Knight (No. 3 from the Golden League) and Palos Verdes (No. 3 from the Bay League).

The Guards (20-5) will also have a first-round home contest in Division VII at 3:15 p.m. Thursday at Gross Park. Bell-Jeff will take on the winner of Tuesday’s wild-card game pitting Maywood Palm (No. 3 from the Majestic League) and California School for the Deaf (at-large from the Arrowhead League).

Last season, the Guards advanced to their first-ever CIF championship game.

Providence (8-9-1), the second-place team from the Liberty League, will begin the postseason at 3:15 p.m. Thursday at Faith Baptist (No. 2 from the Coastal League).

Burbank (20-6) tied for second in the Pacific League and was given the No. 3 seed from the league. That put the Bulldogs into the wild-card round of the Division III playoffs. Luckily for Burbank, it will open at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at McCambridge Park against Arroyo Grande (No. 3 from the Pac 7 League).

If the Bulldogs win the contest, they will travel to play La Reina — theTri-ValleyLeague champion — Thursday. Burbank has already defeated La Reina, 8-0, April 28 in the Thousand Oaks Tournament.