Stay in First Doesn’t Last for Westlake

WESTLAKE —  Thousand Oaks High certainly didn’t allow Westlake much time to enjoy its new digs atop the Marmonte League softball standings.

In Westlake’s first game since beating league-leading Newbury Park last week to claim first place, the Warriors were run over by a team making a late charge for the title.

Thousand Oaks scored five runs in the seventh inning and won its seventh consecutive game, 6-0, on Thursday at Westlake.

The Lancers (15-5, 7-2 in league play) vaulted one-half game ahead of Westlake (16-3, 6-2) and allowed Newbury Park (16-4, 7-1) to reclaim the lead it held until last week’s 2-1 loss to the Warriors.

With two weeks remaining in league play, the title is still very much up for grabs, as it seems to be every year in the competitive Marmonte League.

“I’ve been around here long enough to know . . . there’s a lot of softball left,” said Coach Gary Walin of Thousand Oaks.

Westlake struggled offensively and defensively against Thousand Oaks and never looked like the team that had won eight consecutive games.

“[Westlake] didn’t come to win, they came to see how the game was gonna go,” Warrior Coach Barbara Jordan said. “From the very first pitch they weren’t ready to play.”

Right-hander Nicole Angelo (8-2) limited the Warriors to two singles, by the No. 8 and No. 9 batters, and struck out five.

Westlake had only four base runners and never advanced beyond second.

Thousand Oaks, which had seven singles, was scrappy from the start, trying to use its speed to create havoc for the Warriors.

“I don’t mind taking chances,” Walin said. “We’re a risk-taking team. I like taking risks.”

After being thrown out or picked off on the base paths three times in the first five innings, Thousand Oaks got the break it was looking for in the sixth.

With two out, Michelle Spencer reached base on an error and took second on Vanessa Hanson’s single. Spencer scored on Shawna Lane’s drive up the middle, but Hanson was thrown out at third by catcher Angela Funk.

It got ugly in a hurry for Westlake in the seventh.

Kim Martin and Sheridan Fowler hit singles to start the inning. On a double steal, Martin scored when the catcher’s throw glanced off the glove of shortstop Kaitlyn Wilson into left field.

The Lancers benefited from two passed balls, two wild pitches and a second error to score four more runs for a 6-0 lead.

“We had all week to prepare for this game,” Jordan said. “And all week they’ve lacked intensity.”

Erin Voeltz (14-3), who struck out seven, allowed six hits and two walks before being relieved in the seventh.

Hanson and Martin each had two hits for Thousand Oaks, which seems to be peaking at the right time.

“We’re playing really well right now,” Walin said. “We’re just trying to focus in on one game at a time and end up hopefully at the top.”