LOCAL SOFTBALL and baseball races are nearing the crucial stages (Shutterstock).

The Huntington Beach High baseball team posted its 11th straight home win on Wednesday with a 3-1 win over Fountain Valley, and followed that win up Friday with an 11-1win over the Barons on Friday on the road.With those victories, the Oilers are 16-4-1 overall and 12-0 the Sunset League. The league race is headed into the final stretch. HB has three games against Los Alamitos this week, followed by three more against Newport Harbor the following week.
Still chasing the Oilers are the Newport Harbor Sailors, who are 10-2 in league and 16-6 overall.

Garden Grove remained in the lead with a 7-3 win over second-place Valencia. The Argonauts are 8-1 in the Orange Coast League and 13-6 overall. The Tigers are 5-3 and 9-9.
In third place are the Westminster Lions at 5-4 (10-12 overall).
Orange leads the Grove League pennant race with a 8-0 mark, 14-8 overall. The Panthers defeated Bolsa Grande 16-2 on Friday for their fifth win in six games.
Anaheim is in second at 7-3 (12-7 overall), while Rancho Alamitos is 4-4 (8-9).

In softball play, Pacifica kept a piece of the lead in the tough Crestview League. After a 3-0 win over El Modena, the Mariners remain tied for first with La Habra for first; both are 5-3 in league.
Overall, the M’s are 15-8, while the Highlanders are 17-5.

In the Garden Grove League, Bolsa Grande remained unbeaten (8-0) with a 26-5 win over Saddleback. The Matadors have a 14-4 mark so far.
The rest of the league lines up with Magnolia (6-2, 8-6) in second and La Quinta (2-4, 3-12) in third place, followed by Saddleback and Estancia.