L.A. Baptist Prepares for Familiar Role--Underdog

L.A. Baptist High, a third-place team in the Alpha League that barely made the playoffs, is one victory away from winning its first Southern Section baseball championship.

The Knights, who play top-seeded Santa Ana Calvary Chapel in the Division V final today at Blair Field in Long Beach, are decisive underdogs, but what else is new?

Calvary Chapel (27-1-1) has outscored playoff opponents, 47-1, owns regular-season victories over Division I league champions Notre Dame and Riverside Arlington, and has three players who have signed with Mississippi, including pitcher Brett Young (14-0), who is expected to start.

“We know what we’re up against,� L.A. Baptist Coach Mark Hubbard said. “We’re hoping for a slugfest because we’ve been hitting the ball pretty well lately.�

Shortstop Andrew Petersen is hitting .538 in the playoffs for unseeded L.A. Baptist (18-6).

“The kid is the best sophomore since John Wilson,� said Hubbard, referring to the former Knight standout who was selected Southeastern Conference player of the year at Kentucky. “When all is said and done, he could be better.�

Pitcher Scott Swenson (6-0), who has recovered from a bruised right shoulder that forced him to miss six starts, has won three playoff games.

But Swenson pitched seven innings in L.A Baptist’s 11-5 semifinal victory over Lancaster Desert Christian on Tuesday and is approaching the weekly pitching limit of 10 innings.

Evan Regenstreif (7-2), the youngest of three brothers to have played for the Knights, is expected to start.

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Another championship run is under way at Grace Brethren, though it’s not as unusual as last season, when the Lancers were reinstated after losing in the quarterfinals because their opponent used an ineligible player.

Their coach, Dan Pierce, resigned after the apparent loss and was not allowed by the school to return, leaving assistant Jim Thompson to guide the Simi Valley school to two more playoff victories and the Division VI title.

Grace Brethren (21-3) has a new coach, former minor league shortstop Aaron Marcarelli, and a new outlook entering the Division VI final today against Rio Hondo Prep at Blair Field.

“They want to prove that last year was not a fluke,� Marcarelli said of his players. “They got in on a technicality [last season] and they want prove they can win a championship.�

Seven starters returned, including pitcher Tim Thompson and catcher Jackson Beauchamp.

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Baseball Playoffs

* Who: L.A. Baptist (18-6) vs. Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (27-1-1); Rio Hondo Prep (17-6) vs. Grace Brethren (21-3).

* What: Southern Section Division V and VI championship games.

* Where: Blair Field in Long Beach.

* When: Today, Division V at 7:30 p.m.; Division VI at 4:30 p.m.

* Tickets: $7 for adults; $3 for children under 12.