POWAY – Everywhere Eastlake pitchers looked yesterday, they saw Poway's Alex Dickerson fueling a Titans rally.

The senior outfielder ripped an RBI single in the first inning, doubled in a run in the fourth and led off the fifth with his seventh homer, propelling Poway past Eastlake 5-2 in a fourth-round Division I playoff game.

The top-seeded Titans (29-6) forced a second game with No. 4 Eastlake (24-7) in the double-elimination tournament. The teams will square off at 3:30 today at Poway. The victor advances to Saturday's San Diego Section Division I championship game against La Costa Canyon (22-12) at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Fondly known to teammates as “Grandpa,” Dickerson has been the driving force behind Poway's postseason surge. After dropping their playoff opener, the Titans have won three straight.

Dickerson is 8-for-15 in the playoffs, including 6-for-7 with two home runs and six RBI the past two games.

“I feel our team as a whole is hot. We're all hitting the ball hard,” Dickerson said. “Maybe a few more of mine are falling in. One thing is for sure. It's a lot easier on me when our lineup is clicking the way it is now.”

Eastlake pitcher Jomel Torres attempted to keep his pitches on the outside portion of the plate in his dealings with Dickerson. It didn't matter. All three of the slugger's hits were to the opposite field.

As for the nickname, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Dickerson picked it up as a sophomore following an injury.

“I had a little back injury and was limping around practice,” he said. “The guys were teasing me about being an old man.”

The injury healed, but the nickname stuck.

“It's kind of a standing joke now,” said Dickerson, who'll attend Indiana on a baseball scholarship next year.”

Poway catcher Austin Wynns was 2-for-3 with a double and a single.

The Titans provided plenty of support for sophomore pitcher Keegan Yuhl (8-2), who went the distance.

“He's unbelievable for a sophomore,” Wynns said. “He starts slowly sometimes, but finishes strong.”

In the finals

Six teams clinched spots in Saturday's championship games at Tony Gwynn Stadium:

Division I: La Costa Canyon posted its fourth straight playoff win.

Division II: Matt Cerda hit his section-leading 16th home run to lead Oceanside.

Division III: Casey Muñoz had three home runs for Cathedral Catholic.

Division III: Montgomery reached the title game with the minimum three wins.

Division IV: Alex Rowan drove in two runs to lead Coronado.

Division IV: Michael Poteet's home run powered Christian.