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This league's two guaranteed playoff spots are already clinched, as are the seedings, so besides Ontario Christian having faint at-large chances, this is boring as heck. Just to warn ya.

1. Aquinas (8-1, 4-0): Has clinched a playoff spot and the No. 1 seed out of the Ambassador League regardless of what it does Friday against Western Christian.

2. Linfield Christian (5-4, 3-1): Has clinched a playoff spot and the No. 2 seed out of the Ambassador League regardless of what it does Friday against Calvary Murrieta due to its head-to-head tiebreaker advantages over Ontario Christian and Western Christian.

3. Ontario Christian (3-6, 2-2): The Knights are eliminated from automatic playoff consideration because Linfield Christian owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. The only shot Ontario Christian has is to beat Arrowhead Christian Friday and hope that making the East Valley championship game last year holds weight in the at-large selection process.

4. Western Christian (3-6, 2-2): The Lancers are eliminated from automatic playoff consideration because Linfield Christian owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. A win over Aquinas could look good for an at-large selection, but it likely wouldn't be enough.

5. Arrowhead Christian (3-6, 1-3): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

6. Calvary Murrieta (1-8, 0-4): Eliminated from playoff consideration.

The Barstow High School softball team, which had lost to No. 1 seed Calvary Murrieta in the first round of the CIF-SS Division V playoffs Thursday, had its protest upheld by the CIF-SS offices and will advance according to a press release sent out by CIF Friday morning.

The Aztecs' protest was based on Calvary Murrieta taking illegal batting practice on the day of the game. The rule, listed below, was spelled out in the CIF's press release:

"Teams entered in the softball playoffs WILL NOT be permitted to take batting practice on the day of the scheduled contest. Batting practice will be construed as any type of pitching motion with ANY type of ball from in front of the batter (including pitching machines, underhand tossing, overhand throwing or pepper). THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE BATTING WARMUP WILL BE SIDE SOFT TOSS. The player who tosses the ball should be on a knee and to the side of the batter. The ball should be lifted, not pitched, to the batter. THE PENALTY FOR BATTING PRACTICE WITH WIFFLE BALL, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, ETC. MAY BE FORFEITURE OF GAME."

With the win, which will go down in the books as a 7-0 Barstow victory, the Aztecs will advance to play at Anaheim Western at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday.