With the regular prep baseball season concluding, Point Loma’s Pointers are assured of a spot in the CIF playoffs in the Div. I grouping.

The CIF San Diego Section uses power rankings from MaxPreps to seed playoffs and those rankings, done by computer metrics, are supposed to evaluate not only game scores but the strength of each opponent.

Last year, the Pointers were ranked fourth of the 106 teams in the section and received a bye in Div. II playoffs. The Pointers then went on to win their division and were moved up to Div. I this year.

Going into this week’s now-concluded three-game series against Cathedral Catholic, the Pointers were ranked sixth

The picture will come into focus on May 18 at 1 p.m. when CIF announces pairings and brackets for the double-elimination playoffs that will finish at the end of May, days after the school year for many county school districts has ended.

The Pointers should be a top seed in Div. I and receive a first-round bye while lowest seeded teams have a play-in game on May 20. Regular tournament games will be played May 21, 23, 24, 27, and 29 if necessary, placing a premium on each team’s pitching eligibility and depth.

The Div. I championship will be decided on May 31 at Ron Fowler Field on the USD campus with a 7 p.m. start.

Entering the final week of season play, the Pointers stood at 15-8-1 overall and 5-4 (third place) in the county’s toughest Western League. First place St. Augustine is ranked third in the section with second place Patrick Henry (fourth) also in the top 10 and Cathedral Catholic (14th).

In recent league games, the Pointers went 1-2 against both Patrick Henry and St. Augustine before a three-game sweep of Scripps Ranch.

Phoenix Brant threw a complete game win in the 4-3 victory over Patrick Henry, walking none and striking out five. At the plate, he had a single and double with an RBI, the only hits by the Pointers as two of their runs were unearned.

In a 5-2 win at St. Augustine, Marviel Underwood picked up the win, going 4.2 innings, giving up five hits and two runs, both unearned. He walked two and struck out five before Luis Lara came on in relief to pitch the final 2.1 innings and record a save.

In this game, Caden Williams went 2-4 with two RBIs, Brant was 3-4 with a double and RBI and Michael Hall had a double and the other RBI. Adrian Gomez stole three bases out of a team-high eight.

In the Scripps Ranch series, the Pointers posted wins of 8-0, 9-7, and 3-2. Winning pitchers were Underwood, Brant, and Johnny Bowes with saves to Landon Moore and Hunter Weller.

At the plate for the series, Hunter Reddeg had a double and four RBI, Wyatt Olson had a double and two RBIs, with RBIs by Hall (two), Brant a double and RBI, and single RBIs by Druw Frost,  Williams, Ben Waterman and Dylan Upjohn.

SOFBOL

Currently 20-5-1, the girls are 4-2 in the City Western League, playing their final two league games this week. The team began this season in Div. II but has had a breakout year and is ranked fifth in the San Diego Section overall and first in Div. II rankings.

Playoff details will also be released on May 18 and a first-round bye should be assured. The team carries an incredible .330 batting average and has amassed 45 doubles, nine triples, and 28 home runs.

Playoff dates are May 19, 21, 23, 24, and 27. The Div. II finals are on May 30 at SDSU at 5 p.m.

SWIMMING