SOFTBALL
CIF SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
Friday at Irvine’s Bill Barber Park
Division 5
Heritage Christian (24-4) vs. South Torrance (23-7-1), 6:30 p.m.
Heritage Christian is making its first CIF-SS final appearance. Expect a pitcher’s duel between Heritage Christian’s Lilly Robles and South Torrance’s Maddy Stockslager. Robles has 290 strikeouts in 178 2/3 innings and Stockslager has 214 strikeouts in 130 2/3 innings. The key will be for Heritage Christian to strike early. Alyssa Benthagen has emerged as Heritage Christian’s most consistent slugger, batting .488 with eight homers, 35 RBIs, 27 runs scored and 11 doubles. Sabrina Morales is also enjoying a banner campaign, batting .484 with eight homers, 19 RBIs, 34 runs, 11 doubles and five triples. Sophia Fernandez is hitting .519 with two homers, 28 RBIs, 18 runs and 16 doubles for South, which is making its first finals appearance since 2012 and its second overall.
Division 7
Village Christian (19-10) vs. Santa Ynez (20-7), 3 p.m.
A first-time champion will emerge. It could be the start of big things for Village Christian, which boasts a youthful squad. Freshman Ally Melgar is 21-6 in the circle with a 2.20 ERA with 149 strikeouts and 32 walks in 159 1/3 innings and also is hitting .449 with a homer, 34 RBIs, 22 runs and 12 doubles. Freshman Kaylani Miller paces the offensive attack by batting .500 with four homers, 27 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 10 doubles and five triples. Freshman Mackenzie Hofmann adds a .441 average with five homers, 34 RBIs, 23 runs and 11 doubles. Sophomore Carley Gay is hitting .441 with three homers, 11 RBIs and 37 runs scored. Sophomore Mikayla Gray (.293, 19 RBIs) and freshman Bella Orozco (.278, 13 RBIs) are also threats. Santa Ynez also boasts a freshman in the circle in Armani Garcia, who has 151 strikeouts and 50 walks in 150 2/3 innings. Yesenia Vega is hitting .500 with 21 RBIs, 28 runs scored and seven doubles for Santa Ynez. Maggie Usher is hitting .410 with seven homers, 33 RIs and 33 runs, and Anastazia Garcia is hitting .407 with three homers, 32 RBIs and 31 runs.
— Tony Ciniglio
BASEBALL
CIF SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
Friday at UC Riverside
Division 4
Tahquitz (24-5) vs. Grace Brethren (24-4), 7 p.m.
Grace Brethren is making its first CIF-SS final since winning the Division 6 title in 2002. With an experienced group led by seven seniors, the Lancers are a tested group having been to the playoffs the past two years. They also showed a bit of postseason magic in the second round, rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the seventh inning. Senior Gunner Hellstrom, a Nebraska signee, leads the Lancers, batting .487 with 35 RBIs. Jake Carroll has 18 RBI while hitting .364. Sophomore Noah Mattera is hitting .368. Junior ace Pierson Ohl (5-0, 2.25 ERA; .346 average) is expected to start on the mound.
Division 7
Faith Baptist (22-1) vs. Arrowhead Christian (17-7-1), 4 p.m.
No. 1 seed Faith Baptist is no stranger to sectional finals in eight-man football with 15 appearances, including one last fall. This will be the Contenders’ first CIF-SS baseball final and it’ll be a family affair. Cousins Joseph, Ryan, Andrew and Grant Rasmussen all start and Andrew, a sophomore, shares the team lead in hitting (.378), along with senior Alfredo Cervantes. Coach John Rasmussen also oversaw the football team reaching the final in December.
Sophomore ace Matt Wood is 12-0 with a microscopic 0.47 ERA and will get the start after pitching 4 1/3 innings in the semifinals.
— Evan Barnes