High School Baseball: Marina looks to take momentum into playoffs

The Marina High baseball team’s two wins against Fountain Valley last week proved to be big for momentum in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

The Vikings took the series against the Sunset League champion Barons, 2-1, and earned a home game when pairings were released Monday.

Marina (18-8), the Sunset League’s second-place team, will play host to Norco (20-4, Big VIII League second-place team) Thursday at 3:15 p.m.

Fountain Valley (23-4) will open the playoffs at home in Thursday’s first round. The Barons await Tuesday’s wild-card winner between Mission Hills Alemany (18-10, Mission League at-large) at Moreno Valley Canyon Springs (17-9-1, Inland Valley League No. 3).

Huntington Beach (13-13) made the playoffs as the Sunset League’s at-large team. The Oilers play at Riverside Martin Luther King (12-12, Big VIII No. 3) in a wild-card game Tuesday.

The winner will play at top-seeded Mater Dei (24-2), the Trinity League champion.

— Steve Virgen