Softball: Thousand Oaks survives two Marmonte League challengers

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It was a big week for Thousand Oaks, which is No. 9 in The Times’ top 25. The Lancers beat a couple of teams that figured to challenge them for the Marmonte League title. TO’s task was made easier by the recent injury to Jenna Becerra, the pitcher for No. 22 Westlake.

Thousand Oaks loaded up in a 10-2 victory over Westlake on Thursday. Tiffany Messerschmidt hit a grand slam and Marla Mathews hit a three-run homer. With that kind of offense, it doesn’t take much else to win.

Thousand Oaks also fared successfully earlier in the week when it played No. 23 Agoura, winning, 2-1. The Lancers got two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning by virtue of Mathews’ two-out, two-run single. Here is Erik Boal’s account of the game.

It turned Brittany Reynolds (3-1) into a winning pitcher, and made a loser of Kim Green (5-1). Both allowed five hits, Reynolds struck out 14.

Mathews has only five hits in seven games, but she has eight runs batted in. Obviously, her timing is pretty good.

TO’s next action is Monday at the Santa Maria Righetti Best of the West tournament.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.eteamz.com