Baseball / DIVISION IV

El Segundo vs. Corona del Mar

Where--Edison Field, 10 a.m.

El Segundo (25-6)--This is the 11th Southern Section championship game for the Eagles, who have won six titles--the last in 1989. A well-balanced offense is paced by San Diego Padres second-round pick Alberto Concepcion, a catcher who is batting .562 with 20 home runs and 66 runs batted in. Center fielder Travis McAndrews is also a threat with a .421 average, 11 home runs and 56 RBIs. Starting pitcher Matt Tigani is 8-1 with a 2.37 ERA and if he falters, Charles Talanoa, a 49th-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs, is waiting in the wings. The Eagles have shown their diversity during the playoffs, winning a 4-3 pitcher’s duel in the first round and an 11-3 rout in the quarterfinals.

Corona del Mar (19-8)--The name of the game for the Sea Kings is offense. They have scored 43 runs in four playoff games, an average of nearly 11 runs a game, and are always a threat to put up a big inning. Leadoff hitter Ty Harper, who is batting .521 with 12 home runs and 35 runs batted in, is the spark, but the top four hitters in the Sea King lineup are legitimate long-ball threats. Starting pitcher Matt Larson (6-5) has had control problems but his fastball is good enough to get him drafted this week in the 28th round by the Baltimore Orioles. If he’s getting his pitches over the plate, he will be tough to beat. The Sea Kings haven’t been to a section final since 1981, when they defeated Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe, 3-2, in the Division 2-A final.

Key to the game--These teams appear to be evenly matched: high-powered offenses and top-notch pitching. A seven-game series would probably go seven, but in a one-game, winner-take-all situation, one of the pitchers is going to have to control the opposition.

Starting Lineups

EL SEGUNDO

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No. Name Pos. Avg. 18 Casey Gardner 2B .281 17 Matt Tigani P .416 13 Alberto Concepcion C .562 19 Travis McAndrews CF .421 28 Kevin Moore LF .404 21 Ron Cano 3B .345 10 Brian Lewis SS .274 14 Tommy Sinoneau 1B .386 35 Russell Chappell RF .406

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Coach: John Stevenson

CORONA DEL MAR

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No. Name Pos. Avg. 22 Ty Harper 3B .521 47 Eric Weithorn C .385 17 Matt Larson P .457 24 Mark Hatfield 1B .395 8 Nate Lemmerman SS .318 25 Alex Bottom LF .391 10 David Beser DH .360 23 Billy Eagle CF .235 34 Brett Elliston RF .169 7 Matt Thiede 2B .171

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Today’s other games--Santa Maria Righetti vs. Newhall Hart (26-4), Division II championship, 4:30 p.m. at Edison Field.

Long Beach Wilson (26-4) vs. Riverside Arlington (28-2), Division I championship, 7:30 p.m. at Edison Field.