Jaliane Brooks, Liliana Escobar, Abby Ford, Kylie Tafua and Mia Valbuena are on Dan Albano’s list of top prospects to watch in the section finals in Irvine.

The climax of the CIF Southern Section's high school baseball season is here. After a survive-and-advance format in the playoffs, the CIF finals are set for Friday and Saturday at a combination of two sites: Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State.

The Eagles edged Rancho Mirage 4-3 on Tuesday at home, advancing to Saturday afternoon's Division 6 title game at Cal State Fullerton.

Long Beach area athletes will be competing for spots on the podium at the state meet in Clovis on Friday and Saturday.

Diaz seized the moment and shot a walk-off hit past Etiwanda’s first baseman and into right field, sending pinch runner Aaden LaRoe across home plate and securing an 8-7 win that gives West Ranch its first spot in a CIF-SS championship game.

The Barons scored four runs early, but Mater Dei rallied for a 5-4 win Tuesday in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.

The CIF State Track and Field finals that will take place Friday and Saturday at Buchanan High School in Clovis have been in the news this week over a transgender competitor, Jurupa Valley’s AB Hernandez, who is competing in the girls triple jump and high jump events.

But it will be Southwest El Centro playing for the D3 title come 4 p.m. Saturday. The Eagles have hung one CIF championship banner in softball. It came in 2018 and Manzano’s sister, Iliana, played on the team. As friends and family members celebrated with the players on the field, Manzano took in the scene.

There are 45 athletes in individual events, along with nine relay teams, representing Inland schools who qualified for this weekend’s meet in Clovis.

A California track star faces more than nerves ahead of the state finals. President Donald Trump says she shouldn't compete because she's transgender.