Crescenta Valley Is the Latest Victim of Hot Newbury Park

The hottest softball team in the Marmonte League may be Newbury Park High.

While league rivals Simi Valley and Camarillo have struggled lately, the Panthers continue to roll.

Newbury Park defeated the region’s seventh-ranked team, Crescenta Valley, 6-4, in eight innings Friday at Borchard Park to capture third place in the Downey tournament.

“It’s a nice win, but qualifying for the [playoffs] is what we have in mind more than beating ranked teams in nonleague games,” said Panther Coach Pete Ackermann, whose team is tied with Simi Valley for second place in the Marmonte League, one game behind Camarillo.

Kamala Kiffe’s two-run double capped a three-run eighth and proved to be the difference for Newbury Park (17-4), ranked eighth in the region by The Times.

Cindy Muran singled home Oli Keohohou earlier in the inning to break a 3-3 tie. Muran finished three for three with three runs batted in and Tawni Yamauchi added two hits.

Melinda Moulden (6-5) struck out 10, while Becca Baldridge had two hits for Crescenta Valley (19-5).

Notre Dame 5, Alemany 4--Karen Tobin drove in Michelle Barraza with the winning run on a single up the middle in the fourth inning and the Knights (10-10-1, 2-4) won a Mission League game at Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park.

Tobin, who also had a run-scoring single in the third, finished with three hits and two RBIs and Barraza also had three hits. Winning pitcher Amanda De La Cerda (4-6) threw a five-hitter with three strikeouts and one walk.

Chaminade 12, Flintridge Sacred Heart 0--Maureen LaCocq (11-7) pitched her 10th shutout and fifth in league play in a Mission League game at Glorietta Park in Glendale.

The Eagles (11-7-1, 5-0) have outscored their opponents, 25-0, in league games.

LaCocq had three hits, including two doubles. First baseman Amy Biersch had four hits and shortstop Courtney Whale had three hits and three RBIs.

Harvard-Westlake 6, Louisville 5--Val Alter hit a two-run single in a five-run fifth inning for the Wolverines (11-11, 3-3) in a Mission League victory at Harvard-Westlake.

Calabasas 4, Malibu 0--Sara Hall had two hits and two RBIs for the Coyotes in a Frontier League victory at Calabasas.

Katie Young added two hits and an RBI for the Coyotes (12-5-1, 10-1).

Moorpark 4, Santa Clara 0--Meaghan Finnerty had three hits and Davis Beck, Jenni Perez and Christy Daley each had two hits for Moorpark (13-3, 10-1) in a Frontier League game at Beck Park in Oxnard.

Oxnard 8, Ventura 2--Melina Mejia had two hits, including a run-scoring double, and Precilla Covarrubias (4-3) pitched a five-hitter for Oxnard (9-4, 5-4) in a Channel League game at Ventura (4-10, 2-8).

Shilow Cornett had two hits and a stolen base, scoring once for Ventura.

Rio Mesa 7, Santa Barbara 0--Rhianna Rogers had two hits and an RBI for the Spartans in a Channel League victory at Santa Barbara.

Adelita Saldana had two RBIs for Rio Mesa (15-4, 10-0).

Montclair Prep 10, L.A. Lutheran 4--Freshman right-hander Melissa Gonzales (1-0), making her first start, allowed five hits and struck out seven over six innings in a nonleague game for host Montclair Prep.

Gonzales had three hits, including two doubles. She knocked in the first run in a six-run second inning for the Mounties.