JULIA CABRAL has been a star pitcher for the Pacifica softball team (OC Tribune photo).

Monday was a big day in local high school softball and no game was bigger that the Garden Grove League title showdown between unbeaten Santiago and underdog Loara.

The home Saxons built a 3-0 lead in the first two innings and held on to post a 3-1 win over the Cavaliers, who came into the game with a 21-0 record and the top ranking in the CIF-SS Division 6.

Now, the two teams are tied for the GGL lead at 8-1, with one game remaining on Wednesday. Santiago will visit Los Amigos (2-7 in league, overall 8-9) on Wednesday while Loara visits Rancho Alamitos (4-5, 7-13).

Odds are then, that the two will finish as co-champs of the GG. They will have identical league records and split their two games. Santiago won the first encounter at home, beating the Saxons 7-3 on March 27.

Any way you look at it, Loara is having a good spring in its first year in the Garden Grove League, winning baseball and softball pennants. In fact, it’s been a good year all along. The Saxons took second in football and third in boys’ basketball.

Pacifica poll vaults in CIF rankings

Finally the Pacifica High softball team is getting some of the recognition by pollsters that it deserves. The Mariners – who suffered the shock of the death of coach Brad Campbell – are 14-3-1 overall and 8-0 in Empire League play.

Now that success is finally being reflected in rankings. The M’s are ranked eighth in Division 1, and number eight in Orange County.

Here are the local teams represented in this weeks’ CIF-SS polls.

Baseball

• Division 1: Huntington Beach is fifth
• Division 3: Marina is fourth

Softball

• Division 1: Pacifica is eighth and Huntington Beach received votes.
• Division 2: Marina is first
• Division 6: Santiago is first
• Division 7: La Quinta is fifth.

Boys’ volleyball

• Divisions 1 & 2: Huntington Beach is sixth and Edison is 15th
• Division 5: Ocean View received votes.

In the Orange County Sportswriters’ Poll for baseball, Huntington Beach is fourth, Marina 14th and Edison 19th.

Softball rankings have Marina in second, Huntington Beach fifth, Edison sixth, Pacifica eighth and Santiago 24th.

Monday softball scores

Here are results from prep softball contests for teams serving Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster.

• Godinez 14, Ocean View 4
• Los Amigos 13, Bolsa Grande 3
• Southland Christian 16, Orangewood Academy 14.
• Anaheim 11, Magnolia 1
• Segerstrom 11, Garden Grove 0
• Loara 3, Santiago 1
• Westminster 17, Western 7
• La Quinta 10, Rancho Alamitos 7.

Prep Sport Spotlight is posted on Tuesdays during the high school athletic year.