HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

El Camino Real had an easy time scoring runs in the third inning of a West Valley League game against Birmingham last week.

It was the scorekeeping that baffled the Conquistadores.

After a teammate’s fielding error to load the bases with one out, Birmingham pitcher Pauline Morquecho walked off the field, followed by catcher Valerie Montenegro, who first placed the ball at the umpire’s feet.

No one bothered to call time out.

So with the ball resting near the plate and the freshman battery walking off the field, three Conquistadores circled the bases and scored.

The El Camino Real scorekeeper didn’t know whether to score it one error or three.

“It’s kind of a strange play,” said Bob Fischer, El Camino Real’s 25-year assistant. “I’ve been at this game a long time and never seen anything like that before.”

For the record, score it E-2.

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Ace Nicole Angelo of Thousand Oaks has had her share of arm fatigue this season, but it didn’t stop her from breaking an 11-year record.

Angelo (10-2) set the school record for career victories with her 56th on April 10 against Simi Valley. Alicia Zinner had 55 from 1988-90.

The senior right-hander is 57-14 in four seasons.

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One game. One umpire. Three pitchers all with the same problem.

During the Hueneme-Rio Mesa game on Thursday, Chanel Tripp of Rio Mesa, and Monique Velasquez and Monica Cerda of Hueneme combined for six illegal pitches.

Rules mandate that the pitcher must stay in an imaginary box that runs the width of the pitching rubber during delivery.

All three pitchers apparently delivered outside the box, stepping too far left, as each was called for two illegal pitches.

“I think [the umpire] knew he was going to call [Tripp] because she was called all year and last year,” Camarillo Coach Nichole Victoria said. “So he had to make it even or something. I don’t know. It was ridiculous.”

All but one of the calls proved meaningless. In the second inning, Ginger Ayala of Rio Mesa scored from third with two out on Velasquez’s second illegal pitch of the inning. Rio Mesa won, 5-2.

Incidentally, no illegal pitches were called when the teams played two days earlier.