NATALIE PACHECO at bat for Pacifica on Thursday against Garden Grove. M’s won 8-0 to improve to 8-4. Grove is 1-4. The junior second baseman is hitting .467 and her average is third on the team. The Mariners will open Crestview League action on Thursday, March 19 against Canyon High of Anaheim. The Commanches are 9-2 (GGUSD photo).

Santiago’s softball team was the area’s only unbeaten squad from schools serving our West Orange County cities as of mid-week.

The Cavaliers are 4-0 and therefore are on top of our list based on win-loss record as recorded by maxpreps.com.

Also in our top five are Los Amigos (7-1), Rancho Alamitos (6-1), Edison (8-2) and Marina (8-3). The next five are Pacifica (8-4), Orange (3-2), Bolsa Grande (5-3), Magnolia (2-2) and Western (2-3-1).

With the most room to improve are Ocean View (5-9), Huntington Beach (2-4),Garden Grove (1-4) and La Quinta (0-6). Most teams have not yet started league play.

This counting of win-loss records is not intended as a ranking and doesn’t take into account strength of schedule. Pacifica, for example, is ranked number two in Orange County and 22nd in Caifornia. Marina is 95th in the state and Edison 114th, all according to Maxpreps.com.