Boras Classic begins on Tuesday with top first-round matchups

The Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs are just over a month away, but the Boras Classic that begins on Tuesday has first-round matchups even better than what you’ll see in the playoffs.

Held at JSerra and Mater Dei, the games will match ace vs ace, and thank goodness those two venues have lights, because prepare for extra innings in some games.

Among the intriguing openers: No. 2 Orange Lutheran will have to deal with six innings of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame standout Lucas Gordon; No. 1 Cypress and ace Cameron Repetti will face a challenge from Mira Costa and Arizona State-bound Christian Bodlovich; Simi Valley will face Yucaipa.

The featured game could be Huntington Beach and UCLA-bound Josh Hahn against La Mirada and pitcher Jared Jones.

Of the 10 teams ranked in this week’s Division 1 Southern Section poll, seven are in the Boras Classic.

The championship game of the tournament is at 6 pm on Friday at JSerra. Obviously pitching depth will be key to winning the title over four days but the first-round winners will receive lots of attention, considering it’s almost a playoff-like setting with so many top pitchers in action.

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