Simi Valley Spoils Camarillo’s Plans

CAMARILLO — The Simi Valley High softball team ended its three-game losing streak Tuesday by upsetting Camarillo, 5-4, and hurting the Scorpions’ bid for a Marmonte League title.

Camarillo (17-7, 10-3), which until Tuesday had won seven consecutive league games to pull even with Thousand Oaks atop the league standings, is now a game behind the Lancers (22-3, 11-2) with one game remaining.

Simi Valley (19-7, 8-5), in contention for the title before losing league games against Newbury Park and Agoura last week, kept its playoff hopes alive with one big inning that proved just enough.

The Scorpions’ seventh-inning rally fell short after a three-run home run by Kortney Edge closed the deficit to 5-4.

The Pioneers parlayed four walks, two singles and an error into four runs in the third to claim a 5-1 lead.

Camarillo ace Cindy Ball (10-4) had trouble from the start, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the first.

Things got worse for Ball thereafter. After surrendering a run-scoring single in the second by Lori Tande, Ball walked two of the first three batters she faced in the third. Consecutive run-scoring singles by Jamie Sturdivant and Alex Ingraham and Ball was up against the ropes.

Camarillo Coach Miki Mangan, however, opted to stay with her hard-throwing ace.

“She’s a great player and that’s why I hesitated to take her out,” Mangan said. “I kept thinking she was gonna snap out of it.”

Two walks and a fielding error netted two more runs for the Pioneers and Ball was finished--and so was Simi Valley. Freshman Katherine Nevard got out of the bases-loaded, two-out jam on a ground out and never allowed a Pioneer runner in the final 4 1/3 innings. Nevard, who has not allowed an earned run in 10 decisions this season, struck out four.

“I should have been taken out sooner,” said Ball, who is trying to get used to her third catcher this season. Because of injuries, three Scorpions, including catcher Jessica Mendoza and back-up Allie Taverner, are playing out of position.

In the seventh, Brooke Rutschman (two for three) singled and Jill Borchard reached base on a fielder’s choice with one out. Edge homered to left-center, but Mendoza flew out and Ball struck out.

Simi Valley freshman Brittney Green (9-2) allowed six hits.