SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS PREVIEW.

DIV.II BASEBALL

VALENCIA (20-7) at NORCO (21-7)

3:15 p.m. today

Outlook: A year ago, Valencia played a quarterfinal game at nearby Centennial of Corona and came through with a 17-0 victory behind a no-hitter from right-hander Jared Clark.

Clark (8-1, 1.08 ERA) went the distance in an opening playoff victory Friday over San Luis Obispo, so today the team looks to right-hander Matt Aidem. The stocky 5-foot-10 senior is 8-1 with a 0.54 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings. He's also the team's leading hitter with a .416 average, six home runs and 28 RBI. According to the Southern Section record book, Aidem needs one hit to give him the distinction of having the most in the region for a career (169).

Clark is among the Southern Section's most dangerous power hitters in any division. He's batting .413 with 10 home runs, 32 RBI and an .870 slugging percentage. Shortstop Danny Worth (.434, five home runs, 23 RBI) and catcher Wes Pascolla (.368, seven home runs, 29 RBI) are solid offensively and defensively.

Norco defeated Quartz Hill 2-0 in the first round. Grant Johnson's run- scoring double sparked the victory. The team is 11-3 at home this season.

Directions: Take Interstate 5 south to Interstate 210 east to Interstate 15 south. Exit Second Street, left to Temescal, left to 2065 Temescal.

VILLA PARK (25-2) at SAUGUS (20-6-1)

3:15 p.m. today

Outlook: Substantial underdog Saugus plays host to top-seeded state power Villa Park. But Saugus coach Casey Burrill, who has announced his pending resignation, believes the best plan is to remain calm and unintimidated.

``They're a very good team. But to be honest, we just want to treat this as just another game,'' Burrill said. ``The more you get wrapped up in who you're playing, the more you can psych yourself into a loss. But we'll be prepared, and I think if we do what we know how to do, we can beat anyone.''

Saugus has seen difficult competition, losing twice to Valencia and once to undefeated City Section power Chatsworth. Another loss was by forfeit in a Las Vegas tournament, so Saugus certainly is no pushover.

The site has been switched back to Saugus after it was briefly moved to College of the Canyons because of water problems on the Saugus campus. A water truck has been utilized.

Thomas Milone leads the offense. He's batting .442 and has set school single-season records in home runs (seven) and RBI (36). Outfielders Jeff Knosp (.414, nine stolen bases) and Travis Babin (.353, two home runs, 21 RBI) and catcher Ian Bridges (.348, three home runs, 23 RBI) are among the other key starters.

Villa Park's Mark Trumbo, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound pitcher/first baseman, is an All-American prospect. He's batting .438 with seven home runs, 32 RBI and an .849 slugging percentage. He committed to USC as a junior but is a probable first-round major-league draft choice and is ranked No. 12 in the nation among prep prospects by Baseball America. Sophomore shortstop Nathan Bridges (.357, eight home runs in 42 at-bats) and Mitch Bialosky (.486, four home runs, 21 RBI) also are top hitters.

Sophomore right-hander Alex Curry (8-0, 2.18 ERA) is Villa Park's probable starting pitcher. He'll oppose left-hander Jason Pfau (5-2, 1.80), who hasn't pitched in nine days.

CANYON of Anaheim (19-8) at HART (16-11-1)

3:15 p.m. today

Outlook: After an up-and-down regular season, Hart has a chance to make a surprisingly successful run by advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2000.

The team is playing its best baseball after defeating Palmdale in a wild-card game Tuesday, followed by an 8-4 victory Friday at Murietta Valley.

Hart is happy to have a home game after it took nearly 3 1/2 hours to drive to Murietta Valley because of traffic. But the team faces a difficult opponent in third-seeded Canyon, an annual championship contender.

Hart sophomore infielder Matt Valaika has come on strong. He's leading the team with a .418 average, 15 RBI and seven stolen bases. Others to watch include Cole Valancius (.413, 16 runs) and Steve Susdorf (.348, 15 RBI).

Canyon has won 10 of 12 on the road and the losses were to state powers Villa Park and Mater Dei of Santa Ana. The team defeated Hart 13-6 on April 7. Matt Morris is batting .390 with two home runs and 34 RBI.

DIV. V BASEBALL

SANTA CLARITA CHRISTIAN (13-6) vs. FAIRMONT PREP of Anaheim (14-5)

at Valencia HS, 3:15 p.m.

Outlook: After winning two of its first seven games, Santa Clarita Christian is among the division's most improved teams. The team hopes to parlay the momentum by winning this second-round matchup to advance to the baseball quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

Right-hander Nick Dashnow (5-3, 4.38 ERA) looks to quiet a Fairmont Prep offense that has scored at least 10 runs in its past seven games, all victories, including an 11-5 first-round victory Friday over Hemet Baptist Christian.

Santa Clarita Christian's multisport standout, Orlandi Pena, a fast center fielder who missed a month because of an injury, is batting .535 and is 15 for 15 on stolen-base attempts.

``We're hitting the ball well and our pitchers are throwing strikes,'' Santa Clarita Christian coach Garrick Moss said. ``The kids are working hard. They've really pushed themselves.''

Fairmont Prep's Branden Rademacher, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, has at least three hits in each of his past six games. He's batting .714 with five home runs, 11 triples and a 1.444 slugging percentage in 63 at-bats.

DIV. II SOFTBALL

VALENCIA (22-7) at ROSARY of Fullerton (22-8)

at Ralph B. Clark Regional Park in Buena Park, 3:15 p.m.

Outlook: This is a great chance for regular-season bully Valencia to shed its stigma as a playoff bust, as the team tries to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time in school history.

But it won't be easy against second-seeded Rosary.

Pitching is critical in the playoffs because so many of the results are low-scoring and Valencia has an ace in Christina Ross. She's 14-6 with a 0.15 ERA - just three earned runs in 138 innings - after a 15-strikeout shutout in a 1-0 first-round victory Friday over Quartz Hill.

Valencia's offense has been inconsistent, but the team has several capable hitters, including Breanne Javier (.351, three home runs), Whitney Lowe (.328, 10 sacrifices) and Tennessee-bound Kortney Bell (.250, two home runs).

Rosary, a private all-girls school that is coming off a 1-0 victory Friday over Edison of Huntington Beach, has 12 shutouts. The team hasn't allowed more than three runs in a game in its past eight.

Directions: Take Interstate 5 south to the Artesia exit, left to Beach Boulevard, left to Rosecrans, turn right. Park is at 8800 Rosecrans in Buena Park.

SAUGUS (21-5) at HIGHLAND (19-4)

Today, 3:15 p.m.

Outlook: Saugus right-hander Kyla Sullivan (19-3, 0.44 ERA) proved dominant in a 5-0 first-round victory over Hueneme of Oxnard, allowing one hit with 15 strikeouts. But today the Western Michigan-bound right- hander faces one of the tournament's hottest teams. Highland has won six in a row and scored at least seven runs in five of the victories.

Among the hitters of which Sullivan must be aware are Shannon Doepking (.492, three home runs, 21 RBI), Lauren Tantlinger (.435, two home runs, 14 RBI) and Bridgett Morales (.393, 12 runs).

Like Highland, Saugus is hot. The team has won six in a row with five shutouts, including four in the past four games. Freshman center fielder Victoria Kemp (.390, six home runs, 25 RBI), four-year starter Kirsten Lindgreen (.377, three home runs) and Sarah Hooper (.388, 19 RBI) are among the top hitters.

Directions: Take Interstate 5 north to State Highway 14 north to Avenue P exit, left to 25th Street West, left to the school at 39055 25th St. West.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) Saugus pitcher Kyla Sullivan was dominant in a first-round win but today faces a hot team in Highland.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

(2) Against Norco today, Valencia will have shortstop Danny Worth for solid contributions at the plate and in the field.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

(3) Cole Valancius will try to help Hart beat Canyon of Anaheim today and reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2000.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer