COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASEBALL REGIONALS : Rancho Santiago Among Postseason Front-Runners

Los Angeles Harbor and Rancho Santiago are the favorites in the Southern California Regional community college baseball playoffs, which start today at two sites.

Rancho Santiago (38-9) is the top-seeded team in the four-team regional at Riverside. The Dons play Riverside (33-11) at 11 a.m. Rancho Santiago won the first two meetings between the teams this season and Riverside won the last two.

Rancho Santiago is expected to start either Paul O’Hearn (10-0) or Jay Hassel (5-1). Both are sophomore right-handers.

Rancho Santiago is led on offense by shortstop Raul Rodarte, who was voted the Orange Empire Conference player of the year.

Rodarte is hitting .382 and leads the team in home runs (12), runs batted in (52) and runs (53).

Riverside is expected to start either Ben Blomdahl (11-2) or Jerry Adcock (10-3). Adcock had both victories against Rancho Santiago this season.

San Diego Mesa (27-12) plays Cerritos (26-14-2) in the 3 p.m. game, also at Riverside.

Double-elimination play continues Saturday at 10 a.m. and the title game is Sunday at noon.

Cypress (30-14) takes on Los Angeles Harbor (34-7) at 11 a.m. today at Harbor, the other regional site. Harbor, the defending State champion, is the top-seeded team in the regional.

Cypress is led by its all-sophomore infield, each member of which was a first-team Orange Empire Conference selection.

Citrus (26-15) plays Los Angeles Pierce (23-13) in the other opening-round matchup at Harbor.

The regional continues Saturday at 10 a.m. and the championship game is Sunday at 11 a.m. The winner of each regional advances to the State tournament next weekend in Sacramento against the winners of the two Northern California regionals.