Rivals enter playoffs

Playoff softball began Friday for high school rivals Costa Mesa and Estancia. Both coaches built it up as a win-or-go-home game.

The two played in an Orange Coast League playoff game to determine second place in league. The Mustangs won on the road, 2-1, locking up the league’s No. 2 playoff berth.

Estancia’s players found out afterward they most likely made the postseason, too.

The two programs on Monday learned of their respective opening-round opponents in the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs, as the pairings were released. The only two local teams qualifying for the postseason start with a challenge.

Reaching the playoffs has been hard enough for Costa Mesa. The Mustangs’ last postseason berth came in 2003, when they claimed the Golden West League championship, the program’s first league title.

For defeating its rival, Costa Mesa gets to play at home. The Mustangs (14-14) face Western (18-6) in a first-round game Thursday at 3:15 p.m.

For losing to its rival, Estancia hits the road today as an at-large entry. The Eagles (14-9) are at Pasadena Poly (11-13) in a wild-card game at 3:15 p.m.

The road to getting out of the first round will be easier for Costa Mesa. Estancia has to win twice.

“We earned the right to play at home and we thank the CIF for recognizing us,” Costa Mesa Coach Marcus Franco said. “When I took over the program [last year] the goal was to have a home playoff game. We got it because we’ve worked a lot of hours, battled, been aggressive.

“[Pitcher Kira Mitani] has given the girls a chance to win. She’s the most responsible for us being in the playoffs.”

Mitani (14-12) is scheduled to be in the circle against Western, the second-place team out of the Orange League.

The right-hander returned for her junior season after quitting early last year because of a dispute with Franco.

Franco said Western will most likely start left-handed pitcher Kaylee Puailoa.

“We’ve never faced a lefty all season,” Franco said. “We’re ready for this. We purposely had a tough nonleague schedule to prepare us for the playoffs, playing teams like [Big Sky League champion and top-seeded] Calvary Murrieta, [Pioneer League champ] El Segundo and [Academy League champ] Oxford Academy.

“Once the players experience a playoff game, it’s going to be wonderful because they’re going to want to work harder. This is their first playoff taste.”

The postseason isn’t new to Estancia.

The Eagles made the playoffs for the third straight season. They’re trying to avoid an opening-round loss for the third straight season.

The most recent game is still fresh on the mind of Estancia Coach Judd Fryslie. Playing earlier might help his team get over the tough loss to Costa Mesa.

“We just have to hit. Our strength is hitting,” said Fryslie of his Eagles, who face the Panthers, the No. 3 playoff representative from the Prep League. “They are just glad [Friday’s game] wasn’t their last game.”

From now on, Estancia and Costa Mesa understand the situation on the field is really do or die.