Rancho Santiago, Saddleback to Meet

Rancho Santiago and Saddleback, the hottest two community college teams in Orange County, meet at 11 a.m. Friday in the second round of the Southern California baseball playoffs at Rancho Santiago.

The pairings were announced Sunday.

Rancho Santiago (36-9) has won 20 of its last 21, and is the top-seeded team in Southern California.

Rancho Santiago is one of two sites in double-elimination four-team regional format. The other site is Cerritos.

Saddleback (24-17) has won seven in a row and its last loss was to Rancho Santiago, 15-10, in an Orange Empire Conference game April 25. Rancho Santiago beat Saddleback in three of four meetings this season.

Riverside (26-18) takes on Los Angeles Pierce (27-16) in the 3 p.m. game Friday at Rancho Santiago.

Play continues Saturday and the title game is at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Cypress (32-13-1) plays Bakersfield (33-12) at 3 p.m. at Cerritos Friday. Cerritos (34-11) plays Los Angeles Harbor (27-18) Friday at Cerritos.

Cypress won the State titles last year at Cerritos.

The winner of each regional advances to the State tournament May 27-29 at Fresno.