CIF Southern Section baseball playoff pairings released

LOS ALAMITOS >> Moore League baseball got a tough draw in the CIF Southe Section Division 1 playoff pairings released Monday, and three local Division 2 teams will host first-round games on Thursday.

While Moore League champion Millikan (21-6) hosts Hart on Friday in the first round, second-place Long Beach Wilson (19-11) has to travel to play Marmonte League champion Oaks Christian (18-9). This is the second consecutive year that Wilson is forced to go on the road in the first round of the playoffs after finishing second place in the league. If the Bruins win, they will likely have to face No. 2 seed El Toro.

On Wednesday, third-place Lakewood (20-10) will have to win a wild-card game at home against Notre Dame Sherman Oaks (19-10) out of the Mission League. Long Beach Poly (16-11) will visit Edison (13-16-1) in another wild-card game.

Of the 10 Division 1 wild card teams, Lakewood and Harvard-Westlake are the only ones with 20 wins.

Mater Dei (15-12) and Hart (18-11) are both third-place league finishers playing in the first round.

On Thursday in Division 2, San Gabriel Valley League champion Gahr (23-6) will host the wild-card wier between Chael Islands and Buena as the No. 2 seed in the bracket. On the same side, Suburban League champion La Mirada (21-7) will host Ayala (18-12), which finished third in the Palomares League. Wins by both local teams would create a Gladiators-Matadores matchup in the quarterfinal round.

Bellflower (17-5) will also be at home in the first round, against Santa Barbara (11-8), after both teams finished second in league. Paramount (18-10) will be at Moorpark (23-7) and Cerritos (14-13) visits Pacific View League champions Rio Mesa (18-7).

In the wild-card round on Tuesday, Mayfair (11-6) will host Burbank (9-12) and Downey (12-16) will also be at home, against Redlands (14-11).

Also on Thursday in Division 6, St. Anthony (12-12) will be at Foothill Technology (14-10) in first-round action. On Friday in Division 7, Avalon (9-9) will make the long trip to Hillcrest Christian (11-5) in Thousand Oaks.