Newbury Park Stokx Up for Marmonte Stretch Run

With the Marmonte League race looking more and more like a stampede to the finish line, Newbury Park High kept it interesting Tuesday by beating second-place Moorpark, 1-0, at Borchard Park.

Katie Stokx pitched a one-hitter, struck out nine and escaped a few jams to keep the Panthers in the playoff hunt.

With Moorpark’s loss, Thousand Oaks (17-4, 8-1 in league play) clinched the league title.

Nothing is certain beyond that.

Four teams have four or five losses and remain in contention for a playoff berth.

“It’s nerve-racking,” said Lynn Baum of Newbury Park. “I basically told the kids, ‘It’s in your hands. We need to win the last four games to make the playoffs.’ We’ve got one down and three to go.”

Third place Newbury Park (14-9, 5-4), which has defeated the Musketeers twice, turned the heat up on Moorpark (15-11, 6-4), which has held second place most of the season.

Stokx (7-6) confused Moorpark early, mixing her fastball with off-speed pitches. The senior right-hander retired the side in the first on change-ups and struck out five of the first six.

“She pitched great,” Moorpark Coach Geoff Combe said. “Her change-up was awesome.”

But Stokx found herself in a jam in the third, walking leadoff batter Kellie Konysky and hitting Chelsi Rudebusch with a pitch. Two outs later with runners at second and third, Stokx induced an infield pop fly from Kim Wynigear to end the threat.

The Musketeers, who stranded six runners, threatened again in the fourth. Michelle Willette led off with a double and went to third on a sacrifice by Nicole Brown.

But Stokx escaped on a strikeout and a fly ball.

“She did what she needed to do when she had to,” Baum said.

Newbury Park scored in the fourth. Jenn Dilley led off with a walk and advanced to second on Robyn Wike’s sacrifice.

One out later, Chrissy Zappia’s blooper up the middle glanced off the glove of second baseman Rudebusch.

Dilley scored when center fielder Wynigear fumbled the ball backing up Rudebusch.