STATE JUNIOR COLLEGE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT : Moorpark’s Thomas Fills In the Blanks Against Mt. SAC, 2-0

Chris Singer’s solo home run was all the Moorpark College softball team needed, which was fortunate for the Lady Raiders because offensively that was about all they had.

Moorpark managed only two hits, but pitcher Robin Thomas shut down visiting Mt. San Antonio College on Wednesday in Moorpark’s 2-0 win in the first round of the Southern California regional of the state tournament.

In another first-round game, 15th-seeded Antelope Valley (15-20) was eliminated by second-seeded Cypress, 1-0. Host Cypress scored the game’s only run in the third inning.

Third-seeded Moorpark (27-9) advanced to a best-of-three second-round matchup against Cerritos.

Moorpark will follow Thomas’ guide throughout the playoffs. Thomas (25-6), a freshman right-hander, has earned the decision in all but five of Moorpark’s games, and Coach Will Thurston plans to rely on her even more, if possible, during the tournament.

Thurston, who calls pitching depth the team’s “weak link,” said, “For us to be able to get in the final, we’re going to have to get three strong games from (Thomas).”

Thomas cruised until the fifth when 14th-seeded Mt. SAC (18-17) opened with two consecutive singles and had runners at second and third with one out.

Moorpark led, 1-0, at that point, and Thomas retired the next two batters on a strikeout and groundout to end the threat. She stranded three more runners in the final two innings and called her dropball her most effective pitch.

“I felt really confident today,” said Thomas, who drove in Jamie Heggen with Moorpark’s second run on a single to left in the sixth.

Thomas allowed six singles and two walks, both intentional. The walks were issued to Carrie Evans, who hit a grand slam when Mt. SAC overcame a four-run deficit to defeat Moorpark earlier in the season.

“There’s no way I’m going to allow our team to get beat by that girl a second time,” Thurston said.

Singer’s two-out home run in the second put Moorpark ahead to stay.

Moorpark’s softball field doesn’t have a fence, and Singer simply kept running after hooking a line drive down the left-field line. She had reached third base by the time the left-fielder reached the ball.