League play is over: it’s on to the CIF playoffs

League play has finally concluded for area high school baseball and softball teams. The next act begins with the CIF-SS playoffs.

Brackets and matchups will be announced on Monday morning; we’ll post those schedules for local teams serving Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster.

The most dramatic result from Thursday’s games was when

Cypress defeated Pacifica 2-1in a baseball game that tied the Empire League title up between the Centurions and Mariners.

On the softball side, Pacifica beat Cypress 1-0 to finish second in a very competitive Empire race. The Cents completed the regular season 19-3-1 overall and 9-1 in league. The Mariners are 19-8 and 8-2.

Here are the local league champs for both sports.

Empire baseball: Cypress and Pacifica (tie)

Empire softball: Cypress

Garden Grove baseball: Loara and Los Amigos (tie)

Garden Grove softball: Santiago

Golden West baseball: Ocean

View

Golden West softball: Segerstrom

Orange baseball: Savanna

Orange softball: Anaheim

Orange Coast baseball: Estancia

Orange Coast softball: Calvary

Chapel/Santa Ana

San Joaquin softball: Western Christian

Sunset Wave baseball: Edison

Sunset Surf baseball: Huntington Beach

Sunset softball: Los Alamitos

Dodgers win, 7-3

Continued from page 8

Miguel Vargas hit a two-run home run.

After a rough first inning, Dustin May (3-1) settled down and lasted five innings. He allowed three hits and two earned runs. He walked four and struck out four.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday with Clayton Kershaw (4-1) getting the start for the Dodgers.

Boys’ volleyball playoffs are now underway

Already underway are the CIFSS boys’ volleyall playoffs.

Division 1 play, Edison and Huntington Beach each suffered pool play losses, but get another chance on Monday against Loyola and Mira Costa.

On Thursday, Division 2 action saw Marina knocked out by Wilson/Long Beach.

In D-3, Bolsa Grande and Garden Grove also suffered losses.

Magnolia opened D-5 play with a win over Temecula 3-2, while Westminster lost.

The Sentinels will be in second round play today (Saturday) at Fullerton.

Angels lose, 2-1

Continued from page 8 can League West) did get some good hitting from first baseman Gio Urshella, who went 3-for-4 and drove in the team’s one run. His batting average is now .297. However, the top of the order – Taylor Ward, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani – went 2-for-12 with no walks.

Next up for the team will be Saturday in Milwaukee when the Angels send Reid Detmers (0-1) to the mound to start.

Lakers eliminate Grizzlies

Comtinued from page 8

The Lakers led by 16 points at the half, but really settled the matter with 41 third period points. Russell was especially dangerous, shooting out the lights with 12-of-17 accuracy, in- cluding 5-of-9 on three-pointers. Now with the Grizzlies eliminated, the Lakers will have to wait to find out their next opponent, an issue to be decided Sunday between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.

A long way to Vegas from Oakland

Comtinued from page 8 will be a Dead Team Walking for the near future.

Last year, a miserable team drew only 787,902 fans, about one-third the attendance of a mediocre Angels team. Even when they made the playoffs in 2019 and won 97 games, the gate was 1.6 million, 13th of 15 American League teams.

Can you imagine how much more slowly the turnstiles will spin in the baseball twilight zone before the team leaves for Carson County?

So, like the Flying Dutchman of legend, the PhiladelphiaKansas City-Oakland A’s will continue to sail into the unknown. And if Las Vegas is a bust, I hear that New Orleans could be a nice spot to wash ashore.