Canyon Edges Newbury Park

Newbury Park got more hits, played more effortlessly, and had a pitcher who gave up only one hit to the final 20 batters she faced.

But Canyon got three hits among its first four batters, pushed across the only run it needed and scored a 1-0 quarterfinal upset Thursday of third-seeded Newbury Park in the Southern Section Division I softball playoffs.

Canyon (22-10), the second-place team in the Century League, will play the winner of today’s game between second-seeded Mater Dei and Thousand Oaks at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. The semifinals continue Tuesday.

Newbury Park, the Marmonte League champion, finished 23-6-1.

“We did everything but win,” Newbury Park Coach Mike Morgan said. “We had all kinds of offensive opportunities.

“But I can’t say we should’ve won because we didn’t do it.”

When the Panthers threatened--they had runners at second or third base or both four times--Canyon pitcher Veronica Lopez toughened considerably. Though Newbury Park out-hit Canyon, 6-4, the Panthers were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position, and Lopez had four of her eight strikeouts in those circumstances.

Lopez (16-7) walked one.

“She didn’t have her best stuff,” Canyon Coach Lance Eddy said. “Her change-up was high and her rise ball was flat. I think throwing those 18 innings against El Dorado [in the first round] finally caught up to her.”

Maybe, but she made the only run her team scored stand up. Ro Lutz and Becky Tippets singled to right field to open the Canyon first. With runners at first and third, Kristi Fox (17-4) intentionally walked Lopez. Kristie Hiatt responded with a run-scoring single up the middle on a three-ball, two-strike pitch.

Megan Sabo lined into a double play and Meghan Goldstein’s grounder ended the inning.

Over the next five innings, Fox walked one, hit one (Hiatt) and gave up a two-out double to Kim Snodgrass in the fourth inning. Averaging about a strikeout per inning, Fox struck out only one.

“We’ve surprised quite a few people,” Hiatt said. “A lot of people didn’t give us a chance. We sure showed ‘em. . . . We really don’t have anything to lose.”