A championship finish to the 2009-10 interscholastic sports season is at hand with the upcoming spring playoffs.
Baseball
The regular season wraps up May 20, followed by the playoff pairings meeting on May 22. The single-elimination play-in round is scheduled for May 25, followed by the first round of double-elimination play on May 26, the second round on May 28 and the third round on May 29. The fourth round is scheduled for June 1, followed by a fifth round (if necessary) on June 3. The section finals are scheduled June 5 at SDSU’s Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Playoffs will be conducted in four enrollment divisions. Entering the week, Montgomery (8-0 in South Bay League, 20-5 overall) held down the No. 6 ranking by MaxPreps.com in its top 25 San Diego Section poll. Bonita Vista (5-1 in Mesa League, 17-7 overall) was ranked 13th.
Neither the Aztecs nor Barons did themselves any harm by picking up league victories on Tuesday. Montgomery topped Mar Vista, 9-4, while Bonita Vista hammered Chula Vista 12-1.
The Aztecs, who are ranked second among the section’s Division III teams, used a three-run home run by Marco Arellano to highlight a seven-run sixth inning. Luciano Reynoso improved to 7-1 on the mound. The Mariners (5-3, 16-9) received a two-run shot by Jason Arroyo in the seventh inning.
Mar Vista and Castle Park were among 10 section teams showcased in the third annual High School Baseball at Petco Park series, played last Friday and Saturday on the San Diego Padres home field. The Mariners shut out the Trojans, 5-0, last Friday as Slater Putland threw a complete game one-hitter and Ray Carrazco and Marco Lopez each had two RBI.
Bonita Vista rapped out 16 hits on Tuesday. Victor Munoz went 3-for-5 with two RBI and Raymon Campillo went 4-for-4 with a double to pace the Barons’ offensive onslaught against three Spartan hurlers. Taylor Shockey was credited with the win.
Bonita Vista topped Otay Ranch, 1-0, on May 6 to sweep its two-game series with the Mustangs. Jesse Hernandez pitched a complete game three-hit shutout for the Barons.
Hilltop (5-2, 13-10) moved into second place – one game behind Bonita Vista – after derailing visiting Otay Ranch (4-3, 19-8) on Tuesday. Chancellor San Miguel, Miguel Silva, Victor Curiel and Daniel Valdez each drove in runs. Silva scattered nine hits and struck out six batters.
The section recently expanded the playoff field to five enrollment divisions, starting in 2011. Defending section champions include Poway (Division I), El Capitan (Division II), Cathedral Catholic (Division III) and Christian (Division IV).
Softball
Regular season play ends May 19, followed by the playoff pairings committee meeting on May 20. Twenty play-in games are scheduled for May 22 – four games in each of the three higher enrollment divisions and eight in Division IV.
Double-elimination playoffs are scheduled May 24 (first round), May 25 (second round), May 26 (third round) and May 27 (fourth round). Fourth-round games are scheduled to be played at the Poway Sportsplex. Winners advance to the division finals May 29 at SDSU.
Bonita Vista (7-0, 16-5-1) maintained its one-game lead over Hilltop (6-1, 20-5) in the Mesa League standings by scoring a 10-0 shutout win over visiting Chula Vista on Tuesday as Savannah Eckhardt fired a three-hitter. Ruby Elliot led BV’s ferocious 18-hit attack by going 4-for-4 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Hilltop shut out visiting Otay Ranch, 8-0, as Alysha Isaacson (11-3) limited the Mustangs to just two hits while Monica Armas drove in three runs and Tiffany Salcedo and Isaacson each had two RBI.
The victory not only kept the Lancers one game back in the league standings but served as the 500th career win for Hilltop coach Nancy Acerrio.
Like baseball, the softball playoffs expand to five divisions in 2011.
