Despite off-the-field controversy, the resilient Mira Costa baseball team captured the Bay League championship this season and begins the Division 3 playoffs with a home game on Thursday.
Coach Cassidy Olson’s Mustangs (19-10) host Los Altos (16-9) in the first round. All games with the exception of the finals are scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m. Second round games will be played Tuesday.
Mira Costa wrapped up the league title with a 3-0 win in the first game of a home-and-away series against Palos Verdes. Gordon Cardenas hurled a five-hitter with no walks and seven strikeouts. The Mustangs gave Cardenas a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Austin Henning hit an RBI single up the middle and Garrett Wells slugged a two-run double.
Bay League runner-up West Torrance (18-11) plays at Diamond Bar (19-6) in its first-round contest. Peninsula (17-12), which defeated Redondo 5-1 in a one-game playoff to determine third place in the Bay League, routed host Lancaster 11-4 in a wild-card game Tuesday. The Panthers travel to No. 8 Carter (19-8) on Thursday.
Redondo (16-14-1) was granted an at-large entry but lost its wild-card game 5-3 at Segerstrom.
Second-seeded Serra (24-5) hosts West Covina (16-12-1) in the first round. Hawthorne (14-12) was an at-large team from the Ocean League but lost its wild-card game 16-1 at Temescal Canyon.
In Division 4, Pioneer League champion South Torrance (17-10) will host Estancia 17-9) in the first round on Friday.
Three other Pioneer League teams earned wild-card berths. Runner-up El Segundo (18-13) beat visiting Chaffey 7-2 and will play at Granite Hills (16-10) in the first round.
Torrance (15-12) edged St. Bonaventure 3-2 at home and will travel to face No. 4 San Dimas (22-6) on Friday.
North Torrance (16-13) had its season end with a 9-2 loss at La Habra.
In Division 7, Vistamar (8-4) plays at Lee Vining (13-4) in the first round on Thursday.
