Simi Valley Booted Into First Alone

The game to be played Friday at Thousand Oaks High between the teams that shared the Marmonte League lead was certainly expected to be a good one.

After all, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks had 4-1 records . . . and a strong rivalry to boot.

And, to both teams’ credit, for four innings the game was a well-played, exciting one.

Repeat: for four innings .

In the fifth, the Lancers found more than just a rivalry to boot, turning a one-run game into an horrific exhibition of mistakes, committing five errors and allowing Simi Valley to score seven runs en route to a 9-1 win.

The Lancers committed eight errors overall and had just four hits--none after the fourth inning.

“We’re a little embarrassed at this time,” Thousand Oaks Coach Jim Hansen admitted. “Technically, we just played a terrible game. It’s a coach’s nightmare to have to watch that kind of atrocity on the field.”

Hansen had to shuffle his infielders because regular shortstop Steve Sisco injured his throwing shoulder last week against Royal. Sisco was moved to second, second baseman Tom Brozowski moved to third, and third baseman Blake Evans moved to shortstop.

The results? Disastrous.

Evans committed three errors, Brozowski two and Sisco one.

But Hansen was quick not to use the switches as an alibi.

“Sure it changed the configuration of our infield,” Hansen said. “But that’s no excuse. The balls we made errors on were not difficult ground balls. The kids just tried a little too hard today.”

Simi Valley (15-5, 5-1 in league play) took a 2-0 lead when catcher Jesse Anguiano stroked a two-run single in the second off losing left-hander John Bushart (4-2). Two innings later, Thousand Oaks (9-6-1, 4-2) halved the lead when Evans squeezed home Mark Skeels from third.

The messy fifth started when winning pitcher Scott Sharts (6-0) was issued an intentional walk, one of three he received. Three batters and an error by Brozowski later, Marcus Lockwood singled in two runs to increase the Pioneer lead to 4-1.

It got even worse when Evans first booted a grounder and on the next play misfired trying to get the forceout at home, allowing two more runs to score.

A balk by Lancer reliever Anthony Gonzales and another error--this one by Sisco, who dropped an easy forceout--and the score climbed to 8-1.

Evans muffed yet another ground ball hit by the 12th batter of the inning, allowing Simi Valley’s ninth run to score.

“It was pretty evident that they didn’t play well defensively,” Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers said. “They fell apart big-time in that one inning. It’s just something that you can’t really explain.”

At a loss for explanations, indeed, was a frustrated Hansen.

“I guess it was just one of those days, “ he said.