Softball notes: Huntington Beach-Esperanza not surprised with second-round pairing in Division 1 playoffs

Either Esperanza or Huntington Beach will reach the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 softball playoffs later this week.
Based on seedings, rankings and other indicators, a deep advancement in the hazardous division didn’t appear likely for either team a few weeks ago.
But both squads pulled surprises — at least according to the perspective of outsiders — in the first round, making their pairing in the second round Tuesday one of the most intriguing games. The first pitch