If everything goes according to plan, the Monrovia High School baseball team has the inside track to the CIF Southern Section Division 5 championship game on June 6 at UC Riverside.
The Wildcats were made the division’s No. 2 seed when the CIF-SS handed out postseason assignments Monday morning.
“Pretty much what I expected,” Monrovia coach Brad Blackmore said. “It’s not a walkover draw, I’ll tell you that. But I can’t complain. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with our draw.”
Monrovia finished the regular season with a 21-4 record and swept the Rio Hondo League. The Wildcats await the winner of Tuesday’s wild-card game between Whittier Christian and Campbell Hall.
There was some brief confusion Monday with the other two entrants from the Rio Hondo League. San Marino, which finished second, was originally given a wild-card game while third-place Temple City got a first-round game at Arroyo.
After some reconsideration, the CIF-SS redid the bracket and San Marino will play at Garey in Thursday’s first round while Temple City hosts Banning.
Elsewhere in Division 5, Gabrielino, which finished second in the Mission Valley League, got a road game at Lompoc Cabrillo in Thursday’s first round.
The only other area given a top-four seed in its division was Pasadena Poly. The Panthers are the No. 4 seed in Division 6 after finishing 14-6 and winning the Prep League. Poly hosts St. Anthony in Friday’s first round.
Also from the Prep League, Flintridge Prep got a home game Friday against Foothill Tech, and Rio Hondo Prep plays on the road at St. Genevieve.
Pasadena was the only local team to make the postseason from the Pacific League. The Bulldogs, who went 16-10 and finished third in league, got a wild-card game at home on Wednesday against Bellflower.
Perennial power Alhambra will have to take the hard way in Division 4. The Moors finished second in the Almont League this season and because of it will host a wild-card game on Wednesday against Carpinteria.
