The regular season has officially wrapped for baseball and softball, and 11 programs from the Santa Clarita Valley are heading to the postseason.
Baseball
West Ranch
The Foothill League champions, West Ranch (19-9), enter the playoffs riding a three-game win streak. They’ll face Palm Desert, the Desert Empire League champions, who are on an impressive 13-game winning streak.
Palm Desert will host West Ranch on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
Hart
Hart (14-12) stumbled into the postseason with two straight losses and a rocky overall season, barely staying above .500. Despite inconsistency, the Hawks have shown their potential with wins over top teams like West Ranch, Valencia, and Castaic. They’ll host Cajon (19-8) in the first round Thursday at 3:15 p.m. and need a strong all-around performance to advance.
Saugus
The Centurions (16-2) have had a streaky season marked by both winning and losing runs. However, they enter the playoffs with momentum following a 3-1 win over Castaic. They’ll host Wiseburn Da Vinci, who closed the regular season with blowout wins of 22-0, 13-1, and 18-2, on Friday.
Castaic
The Coyotes (18-10) have won seven of their last 10 games, thanks in part to standout performances from Chad Kober, who leads the team with six home runs and is tied with Jr Yera for the team-high 27 hits. They’ll face Paloma Valley (18-10) in the opening round Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
Valencia
The Vikings (13-13) enter the playoffs on a two-game win streak, including a 3-2 win over Maranatha and a dominant 16-1 victory over Newbury Park. They’ll take on Northview (16-10-1), a team that’s won eight of its last 10 games, on Friday.
Trinity Classical Academy
Trinity rolls into the playoffs with its third straight Heritage League title. John Carlson has been a force on the mound, recording 100 strikeouts (17th in the state) and throwing two no-hitters (12th in California).
Pitching will be crucial in their matchup against Don Lugo (17-7), whose lineup features Bryan Scott (30 RBIs) and Austin Brown (27 RBIs). First pitch is set for 4:15 p.m. Friday.
Saugus
The Centurions (23-4) enter the playoffs on a 13-game win streak and as Foothill League champions.
Saugus has been dominant all season, led by power hitters Jordan Shepherd (8 HR) and Amelia Johnson (7 HR). Johnson also leads the league with 36 RBIs, while Shepherd is third with 27. Savanna Smith paces the league with 35 runs.
Saugus opens against Santa Margarita (18-9-1) on the road, Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
Valencia
The Vikings (12-8) are 5-5 in their last 10 games, with a mix of close losses and big wins. Carly Kearns leads the pitching staff with 188 strikeouts, ranking 11th in CIF-SS. At the plate, Sydney Bolder leads in runs (15), while Blair Rune tops the team in hits (28) and RBIs (15).
They’ll face Crescenta Valley (15-7) on the road Thursday at 3:15 p.m.
West Ranch
After a rough start to the season that included losing streaks of five and seven games, the Wildcats (13-14) rallied late, winning eight of their final 10. Naomi Stoll has been a key contributor, leading the team in hits (36), RBIs (33), doubles (13), and home runs (6).
Hart
The Hawks (10-16) round out the Foothill League teams in the postseason. Sadie Curtis has been their standout player, leading in runs (29), hits (46), RBIs (26), and triples (5). Hart faces John W. North on the road Thursday at 3:15 p.m. and will need a team effort to move forward.
Santa Clarita Christian School (SCCS)
SCCS (9-7-1) represents the Heritage League in the Division 8 playoffs. Despite dropping their final two regular season games, the Cardinals are focused on their upcoming matchup against Cathedral City (11-14) on the road at 3:15 p.m.
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