Moorpark Blanks Cerritos to Win Berth in State Finals

After growing hungry on a steady diet of off-speed pitches the previous day, the Moorpark College softball team was ready Sunday for some fastballs.

Cerritos pitcher Karen Clay obliged them by serving up what Moorpark’s Robin Thomas called “meatballs,” and Moorpark feasted in a 7-0 victory at Moorpark.

The win gave Moorpark a sweep of the best-of-three second round of the Southern California regional of the state tournament, moving Moorpark into the eight-team state finals next weekend in Sunnyvale.

Moorpark, third in the state last year, will open the double-elimination tournament with a 10 a.m. game Friday against Sacramento City College, the winner of the Camino Norte Conference.

After struggling against Cerritos ace Denelle Drulias’ junk pitches in a 1-0 victory Saturday, Moorpark (29-9) scored in each of the first five innings against Clay (7-8).

In the first inning, Tami Harp reached base on a two-base throwing error, stole third and scored on Chris Singer’s single up the middle, the only hit of the inning.

The sequence was typical of a Moorpark offense that stole six bases and pressured Cerritos into seven errors in converting seven hits into seven runs.

Moorpark’s Thomas, pitching despite a painful rib injury, was a bit more stubborn. After sleeping on ice Saturday, Thomas (27-6) chilled Cerritos (28-13) with a four-hitter.