Thousand Oaks Finds Silver Lining in Dark Clouds : Prep baseball: Gathering gloom works in Lancers’ favor in their first victory at Simi Valley in seven years.

You can’t hit the ball if you can’t see it.

Yet somehow, to his own amazement, Joe Gordon hammered it. And how Brent Christenson caught it, those in attendance Wednesday at Simi Valley High may never know.

“For all I know,” Gordon said in disgust, “the ball could still be out there. I couldn’t see a thing.”

Gordon’s line drive in the bottom of the seventh inning began to disappear into the darkest depths of center field and, although it was difficult to see in the dusk, finally into the mitt of Christenson, Thousand Oaks’ center fielder.

Christenson’s running, one-handed grab with runners at first and second preserved Thousand Oaks’ wild and crazy, 15-12 Marmonte League victory and propelled the Lancers (5-0, 2-0) past Simi Valley (4-4, 1-1) and into first place.

As Christenson raised his arm to signify the catch, Thousand Oaks’ dugout emptied in jubilation. The victory marked the Lancers’ first win at Simi Valley in seven years, according to Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers.

“Anytime you can beat Simi Valley, you have to be happy,” Thousand Oaks Coach Jim Hansen said.

“We think we can beat them the next time. They’re a good team, but they’re not the team they’ve been the past four or five years.”

Scyphers, who has led the Pioneers to the league title the past four years, halfheartedly agreed.

“Four and four,” Scyphers mused. “That’s just about how we are right now: mediocre.”

The win did not come easily for Thousand Oaks, which last claimed a league title in 1983. The Lancers rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh inning, which began under increasing darkness.

Christenson, who was three for five, including a grand slam to highlight a seven-run second inning, delivered a run-scoring single to tie the game. Jason Goldstein drew a bases-loaded walk and Ryan Kritscher added a two-run single.

In the bottom of the inning, junior reliever Mike Lee (2-0) struck out Derek Rushton, retired Daryl Hernandez on a shallow fly ball to right, then surrendered singles to Brian Vasey and Kenny Hood.

That set the stage for cleanup hitter Gordon, who led off the fourth inning with his sixth home run of the season. By this time, however, “I was at an advantage,” Lee said.

Lee hurled a fastball for a strike. Gordon swung from the heels and connected on the next offering.

“I don’t know how our hitters could see the ball,” said Scyphers, who had pleaded in vain with the plate umpire that clean, new baseballs be put into play. “I was standing at third base and I could not see them.”

As the sun shone, so did the hitters. Each team collected 13 hits. Eight pitchers made appearances. Hood of Simi Valley (three-run shot) and Dave Skeels of Thousand Oaks (two-run shot) each blasted home runs.

Simi Valley led, 9-8, after two innings and added three runs in the fourth. Thousand Oaks countered with three in the fifth.