Moorpark Struggles to Stay Alive in Extra Innings

Moorpark College kept alive its hopes of winning a state junior college softball championship Saturday night.

The Lady Raiders rallied to tie Cypress College, 1-1, in the fifth inning and force the loser’s-bracket game into extra innings. The game was still in progress at press time. Moorpark needs a win to avoid elimination from the state tournament at Golden West College in Huntington Beach.

Against Cypress (36-14), the Lady Raiders faced their weariest opponent of the tournament. The Chargers played Moorpark an hour after defeating West Valley College, 1-0, in a four-hour, 20-inning marathon.

Cypress took a 1-0 lead in the third after converting a single and two Moorpark errors into a run. The Chargers threatened Moorpark in each of the first three innings, but the Lady Raiders continually frustrated Cypress with their defense.

The Moorpark offense was less threatening, however. Paula Allen’s bunt single in the second inning was Moorpark’s only hit through the first four innings.

Freshman right-hander Sally Dugas kept Moorpark off balance with a commanding fastball and got the Lady Raiders out in order in two of the first four innings.

Moorpark tied the score, 1-1, in the fifth when Kauffman scored from third on Julie Myers’ squeeze bunt. Kauffman walked, advanced to second on Rosa Jimenez’s bunt single and went to third on Gina Duarte’s sacrifice bunt before scoring.

Allen walked with two out in the sixth to give Moorpark the winning run on first. Allen was tagged out attempting to steal second, however.

Moorpark rallied for a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 victory over College of San Mateo in its first game Saturday. Dow threw a complete-game five-hitter against the Bulldogs (38-12), but the Lady Raiders clinched the win with their bats.

Missy Cress’ two-run triple to right with two out in the fifth gave Moorpark a 2-1 lead. San Mateo rallied for a run on two hits and a Moorpark error in the seventh to tie the score, 2-2.

Moorpark’s Gina Duarte led off the seventh with a single over second, moved to second on a passed ball and went to third on Julie Myers’ sacrifice bunt. Audra Olive grounded to shortstop Lori Lyman and Duarte beat the throw home to score the winning run.

Dow (29-7), who extended her school records for victories in a season and career (47), struck out three and did not give up an extra-base hit.

“I was not 100% against them, but I moved the ball around enough to get by,” Dow said.

Moorpark dropped into the loser’s bracket after Palomar defeated the Lady Raiders, 1-0, in a four-hour marathon Friday night. Thurston started Jimenez against Palomar, seeded first from the south, after Dow reinjured a pulled muscle in her right leg in Moorpark’s tournament opener Friday.

Jimenez, making her first start in a month, gave up seven hits in going the distance to suffer the loss.

“Rosa pitched a great game and we played at a level high enough to keep us in it for 13 innings,” Thurston said. “I think what helped keep her in the game were some big defensive plays in the infield.”