PACIFICA softball players have plenty to celebrate (GGUSD athletics photo).

There are so many CIF-SS softball championships painted on the back of the dugout at Pacifica High School in Garden Grove that you might imagine that it’s become routine.

Or perhaps each new group of Mariner athletes is anxious to continue a tradition that goes back more than a quarter of a century and will be tested on Saturday when the Mariners (26-2) take on Orange Lutheran (21-3) at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

This contest is for the Division 1 title, but also for state and national prestige. The Mariners are rated second in California. The Lancers are ranked first in the Golden State.

Pacifica, which was at the top in MaxPrep’s ladder earlier in the season, are 11th in California and Orange Lutheran is sixth.

Tony Arduino’s M’s are loaded with talent. Kaniya Bragg has slammed seven home runs and 26 RBIs. Delaina Maae is batting .540 and has an on-base percentage of .633.

The top pitcher is Brynne Nally with a 1.12 earned run average, and don’t hit the ball back to her …. she’s got a 1.000 fielding percentage.

The Lancers will be worthy opponents. Kai Minor has four home runs and a batting average of .426, one of three Lancers hitting .400 or better.

Brianne Weiss is the ace of the pitching staff with a 0.75 ERA.

Those teams have met twice this season. On March 1 the Mariners prevailed 3-0 and Orange Lutheran won 5-1 on March 29.

That was the last time the M’s lost, having won 11 in a row since. Number Twelve would be the best win of a glorious season.