Bottom of Order Tops Hart, 2-0

The Thousand Oaks High softball team reinvented itself Thursday and ended up resembling hard-hitting Hart.

It was not the Lancers’ speed, slap hitters or small ball that wreaked havoc in their 2-0 victory over Hart in a Southern Section Division II quarterfinal in front of about 300 at Thousand Oaks Community Park.

It was three hard-hit drives bunched together by the bottom of the Lancer lineup in the second inning.

Jenny Cochran, who had two hits, led off with a line-drive single down the left-field line and took second when left fielder Danielle Cole misplayed the ball.

After Amanda Fortune struck out Joey McKearn, Shannon Teverbaugh hit an 0-and-2 pitch into right-center field for a single to drive in Cochran.

Jennifer Herrera, the designated player hitting in the No. 8 spot, followed with a blast to right-center for a run-scoring triple.

The hard hits took Coach Cathy Giordano of Hart by surprise.

“We certainly didn’t expect their No. 8 hitter to rip one over our center fielder’s head,” Giordano said.

Thousand Oaks worked on hitting to the opposite field at practice Wednesday because “we know [Fortune] likes to work the outside of the plate,” Coach Gary Walin said.

“And Jennifer did a nice job hitting the ball the other way [Wednesday] and [Thursday].”

Thousand Oaks (25-5-1), which will play top-seeded Cerritos in a semifinal game Tuesday, managed six hits off Fortune (13-2). All but Andi Keesling’s bunt single in the fifth were hit out of the infield.

Hart (23-6) made good contact throughout but was done in by Thousand Oaks’ slick-fielding defense, which made no errors and plenty of tough plays.

“I can see where they’ve scored six and seven runs and blown some people out,” Walin said. “That’s a good-hitting team.”

Jocelyn Evans, Hart’s first baseman, had no trouble against Nicole Angelo (25-4). The Cal State Fullerton-bound senior had three of Hart’s five hits, including a two-out double in the first inning.

Hart was not without opportunities. The Indians had runners at first and second and two out in the second inning before Stacey Holbrook grounded out.

In the third, Sara Dean singled but Nicole Delfino popped up a bunt to third baseman Sheridan Fowler, who doubled up pinch-runner Joie Laykoff at first in what both coaches considered a questionable call.

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SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

Southern Section

Thursday’s Results

Division I

Camarillo 1, Los Alamitos 0

Division II

Thousand Oaks 2, Hart 0

Crescenta Valley 2, La Palma Kennedy 0

Division IV

Chaminade 1, Rosary 0

Calabasas 2, Bonita 0

Harvard-Westlake 3, St. Paul 1

Division V

La Reina 5, La Salle 2

St. Bonaventure 1, Pasadena Poly 0 (9 innings)

Division VI

Cornerstone Christian 3, Faith Baptist 2

Montclair Prep 8, Victor Valley Christian 1