Centaurs Baseball Headed for Showdown

Last season, the Ocean League baseball crown was determined in the final two games of the season between Culver City and Santa Monica. So far, this season has been a replay of last, as both schools are unbeaten heading into a two-game showdown with the title at stake.  

Last year, Santa Monica swept both games against the Centaurs to capture the league championship, yet it was Culver City which advanced further in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, bowing out to Irvine Woodbridge in the semifinals.  

At 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Culver City (17-8 overall, 8-0 in league) travels to Santa Monica (14-13, 8-0) for the first game, then the Centaurs will host the rematch Thursday. If the teams split, they will share the title and a coin flip will decide which gets the higher seed for the playoffs.  

Culver City is red hot, having won eight of its last nine games--including five by shutout. In fact, the Centaurs have outscored the opposition 36-0 over their last three contests--two against league rival Morningside and a tournament game against West Torrance.

Coach Rick Prieto's squad shared the title with Santa Monica in 2010, as both teams finished 8-2. Culver City was runner-up to Beverly Hills in 2009 and was second behind Santa Monica in 2008. The Vikings head into this week's games having won four of their last six--defeating Beverly Hills and Morningside twice each in league and losing Redondo Tournament games to Long Beach Wilson and Bishop Amat.

SOFTBALL

Culver City is in second place in the Ocean League behind Santa Monica with three games left. The Centaurs (11-11-1, 6-1-1) lost to Santa Monica 9-1 on April 24 but get another crack at the Vikings in their season finale Thursday.   

LACROSSE

Coach Casey Chabola's boys squad lost to Agoura 10-7 in the first round of the Los Angeles County playoffs after a strong showing in the South Bay League, where the Centaurs routed the likes of Beverly Hills, Downey and Peninsula but lost to Palos Verdes.

VOLLEYBALL

After making an improbable run to the CIF-SS Division 4 semifinals last season, Coach Joe Manzo's team finished third behind Santa Monica and Beverly Hills in the Ocean League this spring and was not picked for postseason play. In league, the Centaurs swept their three meetings with Inglewood, lost all three to Santa Monica and dropped two of three matches to Beverly Hills.