Camarillo’s Extra Effort

Camarillo High was playing for much more than the Marmonte League softball title Thursday against Simi Valley.

The Scorpions were playing to honor teammate Erika Francis, a sophomore catcher who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and admitted to an Oxnard hospital on Sunday.

“I wanted this game so bad for my friend Erika,” Camarillo pitcher Kathryn Nevard said.

Nevard’s pitching will certainly make her battery mate proud.

The sophomore right-hander pitched a five-hitter and struck out 13 in 11 innings to pace Camarillo’s 1-0 victory over the Pioneers at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park.

“We’ve dedicated this game, this title, the whole season to Erika,” Coach Miki Mangan said. “Our prayers are with her.”

Mangan said Francis’ medical concerns have weighed heavily on the Scorpions, a close-knit team which has visited her in the hospital throughout the week.

Francis took herself out of a game against Thousand Oaks two weeks ago because of flu-like symptoms and has not played since.

“She’ll probably never play again,” Mangan said. “It’s really hard . . . and really sad.”

Camarillo (17-5, 10-3 in league play), top-ranked in the region by The Times, clinched a share of the league title. The Scorpions can win the title outright today against Newbury Park at Borchard Park.

Simi Valley (22-6, 9-4), which will play Agoura today in a makeup game, is half a game behind second-place Thousand Oaks (17-7-1, 10-4).

Nevard (8-4), for starters, doesn’t expect a letdown against the Panthers.

“We’re so up after this game [against Simi Valley],” Nevard said.

While Nevard kept Simi Valley off the bases, Camarillo’s offense battled throughout, but couldn’t get a key hit through the first 10 innings. The breakthrough came in the 11th.

Cindy Ball led off with a single up the middle and took second on a passed ball. Jenn Byrne followed with a single, which sent Ball to third.

Nikki Sutton ripped a liner into the right-center field gap for a double and Ball scored.

“Every time I got up to bat, I thought of Erika,” said Sutton, a designated player who had two of Camarillo’s 11 hits off Brittney Green (11-5).

Simi Valley, ranked second by The Times and winless in three games against Camarillo this season, managed just three hits off Nevard through 10 innings.

Nevard seemed to hit her stride in the middle innings, striking out six consecutive batters in one stretch in the sixth through eighth innings.

Simi Valley didn’t go easily the 11th. Lori Tande led off with a single, but was doubled up when Cindy Gray lined out to second baseman Jessica Mendoza, who threw Tande out at first.

Tracie Hall followed with a single and nearly scored when Green hit a pop-up into the center of the infield. With all four infielders and Nevard standing around, the pop-up bounced in the pitcher’s circle and rolled into foul territory on the first-base side.

With Hall heading home, the umpire ruled foul ball since no Camarillo player touched the ball.

“Thank God nobody touched it,” Mangan said.