Westlake Listless, Coach Clueless in 2-0 Loss

It was supposed to be a battle for fourth place in the Marmonte League--an important matchup because this competitive league sends four teams to the playoffs.

But as far as battles go, Westlake fell short in the fight department. Heck, this one didn’t even go extra innings.

Jennifer Sharron threw a one-hitter and faced just two batters over the minimum Thursday to lead Thousand Oaks High to a 2-0 victory over Westlake in a game that lasted only 1 hour and 17 minutes.

One of last year’s matchups between these teams lasted 19 innings, but seven was plenty in this one.

Errors contributed to both Lancer runs and Westlake senior left-hander Kelly DeArman (6-4) was pinned with the loss despite pitching a four-hitter.

Meanwhile Sharron (9-3), a junior left-hander who finished with eight strikeouts, walked the leadoff batter then retired the next 15 in order until Jamie Litman’s opposite-field bloop single in the sixth.

For the Warriors, who haven’t played in two weeks, it was a setback they could ill afford. Westlake, 8-4 and ranked ninth in the region by The Times, is 3-3 in league play and Tuesday must face No. 2 Camarillo.

“I don’t know what to think,” said Westlake Coach Beth Calcante, who sat in the dugout looking despondent after delivering a 10-minute postgame tongue-lashing to her players for their lackluster effort. “We had such good practices this week, too. I’m absolutely clueless right now.”

No. 4 Thousand Oaks (10-3, 3-2), which went extra innings in losses to Camarillo (11 innings) and Newbury Park (21), is coming off a second-place showing in a Florida tournament.

The Lancers looked like an opportunistic league contender Thursday, doing their damage early.

Erika Hanson drew a walk to lead off the game and advanced on a grounder by Jenna Allen when second baseman Gretchen LaTour dropped the ball while trying to tag Hanson.

Kristin Combe’s sacrifice bunt moved Allen and Hanson up a base, and Hanson scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly to left by Jennifer Richards.

In the second, Jamie Dunn and Angela Ciufo hit back-to-back singles. After a double steal with one out, Shelly Teverbaugh popped up to shortstop Michelle Notaro for the second out.

Dunn tagged from third and Notaro, who made the catch about six feet behind second base, threw wide, up the first-base line, allowing Dunn to score.