Local Teams Face Tough Road to State

It’s playoff time for the community college softball teams, which means all teams involved start over on equal footing.

And for the top teams from Orange County, that’s definitely good news.

Fullerton and Cypress each will host four-team, double-elimination Southern California Regional tournaments beginning today at noon. Fullerton is seeded second in Southern California, and Cypress is No. 4. The other tournaments others are at top-seeded Long Beach and No. 3 Palomar.

The winner of each tournament advances to the State championships May 12-14 in Fresno.

Fullerton and Cypress both appear to have uphill battles.

The Hornets (37-6), Orange Empire Conference champions, open against Grossmont at noon. If Fullerton wins, it plays either Santa Ana or Bakersfield today at 4 p.m. Fullerton is a combined 1-4 against those teams this year.

Fullerton will ride the arm of freshman Erin Kelly, the Orange Empire Conference pitcher of the year. Kelly (27-4) led the conference in victories and her 0.72 earned-run average was also best in the conference.

Offensively, the Hornets look to second baseman Lisa Schiro, the OEC player of the year. She led the conference with a .464 average and led the state with 65 hits.

Cypress (29-13-2) opens with Pasadena at noon today. The 2 p.m. game is between College of the Canyons and Moorpark.

The Chargers, second-place finishers in the OEC and three-time defending state champions, are hosting the tournament despite the objections of Canyons, which is 37-5 and champion of the Western State Conference Southern Division.

“I feel our team was not given the respect and credit it deserved,” Canyons Coach Ray Whitten said. “Cypress did not win [its] conference and I feel the committee voted on past records.”

Even if Cypress gets by Canyons in the regional, the Chargers have a dismal 0-10-1 record against the three higher-seeded teams.

Shortstop Koral King leads the Charger attack. The two-time All-OEC selection batted .411 with three home runs and 32 RBIs.

Santa Ana (26-14) is led by first baseman Yesenia Paniagua, who is batting .361. Wendi Kralich, who has a record of 22-12 with a 1.30 ERA, is the top pitcher for the Dons.

*

Staff writer Fernando Dominguez contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Softball Regional

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

at Fullerton

* Grossmont (20-12) vs. Fullerton (37-6), noon

* Bakersfield (24-15) vs. Santa Ana (26-14), 2 p.m.

* Winners play at 4 p.m.

at Cypress

* Pasadena (25-15) vs. Cypress (29-13-2), noon

* College of the Canyons (37-5) vs. Moorpark (22-14), 2 p.m.

* Winners play at 4 p.m.

SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE

at both sites

* 10 a.m.--Elimination game

* noon--Elimination game

* 2 p.m.--Championship, Game 1

* 4 p.m--Game 2 (if necessary)