Viking baseball playoff preview

Valencia is the last baseball team standing in the Santa Clarita Valley after winning their CIF Division 4 second round matchup at California 3-2.

The Vikings will now head to Tesoro on Friday for their third straight postseason road game. The matchup in Las Flores will be Valencia’s furthest game from home all year.

The Titans are hot off an 8-2 win over Culver City in which Tesoro head coach

Tony Nieto got his 300th career win.

Valencia will look to hold Nieto right at the 300 mark and break through to the semifinals.

The Vikings have some playoff bats on fire and will need every bit of the heat to take care of the Titans.

So far in the playoffs, Lance Mittelman, Scotty Pieper, Jose Mariano and Asher Frye are all batting over .500.

Tyler Biggs will get the start for Valencia at Tesoro. Head coach Brad Meza will have a lot of options in relief with three of his best arms not pitching too deep in their win Tuesday.

Biggs will have to battle with big bats from Jackson Freeman, Owen Faust, Jake Lambdin and Nate Molinari.

Meza may need some big innings from relievers Ricky Ojeda and Jake McMillan, who are coming off dominant outings at California. Starting pitchers Mat Sherwood and Matt Chapman will also be available if Valencia wants to shake things up.

The Vikings head to Tesoro to take on the Titans Friday at 3:10 p.m.