Young Eagles soar to third straight IVL baseball title
Despite ending the season with a losing record, the Southwest baseball team earns themselves a spot in the CIF DII playoffs
EL CENTRO, Calif. ( KYMA, KECY-TV ) - On Thursday night the Southwest high school baseball team clinched their third straight IVL title with a 6-3 win in Imperial.
"We're really young," Eagle head coach Matthew Redden said. "We only have four seniors this year. We started juniors, sophomores and a couple freshman."
The Eagles finish the regular season with an overall record of 13-15. However, in Imperial Valley play, the Eagles won the league title with a 7-1 record, one game ahead of Brawley.
"We knew if we won league we'd get into the playoffs," Redden said. "Even that's going to be a tough road because only 12 teams get in and we're the 19 seed, we will play the 12 seed on Monday as a play in game, to the first round. So, I know someone is going to be upset that they have to come play us on Monday, I know that for a fact."
Redden says his Eagles played a rigorous schedule in which they sought out teams from the higher division. That's why their overall record is a little decieving.
"We knew it was going to be tough," Redder said. "We also knew it would prepare us for coming back to league play."
Redder says the play in the Imperial Valley is just as competitive because no one wants to lose to people they know and play regularly, bragging rights are always on the line.
"It feels good [to win the IVL again] and it's just a testament to how hard our guys work," Redder said. "I know the last couple of years we were favored and really talented. This year, I don't think people thought we'd be as talented. The boys worked extremely hard in the offseason."
The young Eagles will now wait to see who they will play next. The CIF selection meeting is on Saturday and Southwest expects to host a play-in game on Monday.
