Top OC seeds, key first round games for CIF baseball playoffs (brackets)

Costa Mesa (Division 6), Buena Park (Division 7) and Pacifica Christian (Division 8) are the top-seeded teams from Orange County for the CIF baseball playoffs that begin this week.

There are 261 teams in the playoffs. Wild card games will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

First round games are Thursday for Divisions 2, 4, 6 and 8 and for Divisions 1, 3, 5 and 7 on Friday, May 3. The second round for all divisions is Tuesday, May 7.

The finals will be at the Lake Elsinore Baseball Stadium on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18.

A number of OC teams earned top-four seedings.

In Division 1, Trinity League champion Orange Lutheran is No. 3 and Trinity League runner-up Santa Margarita is No. 4. Mater Dei and El Dorado are among the teams that earned at-large berths.

In Division 2, Crean Lutheran earned an at-large berth. Crean Lutheran reached the CIF Division 4 championship last season, losing to Canyon 3-0.

In Division 3, El Modena, Mission Viejo and Los Alamitos earned at-large berths.

In Division 4, San Juan Hills is seeded second and Estancia third.

In Division 6, Orange League co-champion Century is seeded third. Garden Grove earned an at-large berth.

Among the opening games this week:

Division 1 Friday

Gahr at Fullerton, Santa Margarita at Tesoro, Calabasas at Cypress, El Dorado at Corona, Pacifica at Aquinas and South Hills at Foothill and Mater Dei at Damien and Santiago at Huntington Beach, Sierra Canyon at Orange Lutheran, Santa Margarita at Tesoro and JSerra at Bonita.

Division 2 Thursday

Yorba Linda at Ocean View, Newport Harbor at Capo Valley Christian, Woodbridge at Arlington, Temecula Valley at Canyon and Crean Lutheran at Paloma Valley.

Division 3 Friday

South Torrance at Northwood, El Modena at Dana Hills. Trabuco Hills at Fountain Valley, Burbank at Corona del Mar, Redlands Valley East at La Habra and Temescal Canyon at Beckman.

Division 4 Thursday

Tustin at Estancia and Cajon at San Juan Hills.

Division 5 Friday

Segerstrom at South Pasadena, Calvary Chapel at Saugus, Anaheim at Lakeside and Katella at Montebello.

Division 6 Thursday

Garden Grove at Costa Mesa, West Covina at Los Amigos, University at Brentwood, Diamond Bar at Savanna and Schurr at Century,

Division 7 Friday

Thatcher at Buena Park and Santa Ana at Cantwell Sacred Heart.

Division 8 Thursday

Wild card winner (Crossroads Christian-Academ Excell) at Pacifica Christian and Coastal Christian at Rancho Alamitos.

To see the brackets for all divisions, click here