Reitzell Rises for Moorpark

Kim Reitzell could have sulked, but she didn’t.

The Moorpark High left fielder saw her batting average dip below .250 after a midseason slump that cost her the everyday starting job.

But she stayed ready for her chance to contribute.

That chance came Wednesday against San Marcos in the Musketeers’ Southern Section Division III wild-card game, and Reitzell took advantage.

Her pinch-hit infield single in the eighth inning at Moorpark drove in pinch-runner Lauren McKinney from third to give Moorpark a 1-0 victory and send the Musketeers into a first-round game at Miramonte League champion Hacienda Heights Wilson on Friday.

“We all work together,” Reitzell, a junior, said. “You have to take your role and do what you can to help.”

Until the eighth, it was a classic and unlikely duel between pitchers Tara Barker (10-7) of Moorpark, who overcame a midseason back injury, and sophomore Danielle Everson (0-2), who got the start over No. 1 starter Annalise DuSell.

Barker struck out four and allowed only a second-inning single to Kristen Hehnke and a leadoff walk to Jen Monclus in the fourth.

Everson, who allowed three hits, retired 12 consecutive batters before Kellie Konysky reached on an error to lead off the eighth. McKinney replaced Konysky and advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice by Emily Adler.

Konysky doubled in the second and Kim Wynigear singled in the fourth for the Musketeers.

Moorpark (19-12), third in the Marmonte League, advanced to the playoffs for the first time since leaving the smaller Frontier League after the 1998 season.

The Musketeers, 4-20 their first two seasons in the Marmonte, won 19 games for the first time since advancing to the section final in 1996.