Same Old Story for Stokx, 3-0

There’s good reason Katie Stokx of Newbury Park High was not overly excited about her stellar performance in a Southern Section Division III second-round softball playoff game on Tuesday.

Been there, done that.

Stokx pitched a one-hitter, struck out 10 and had a two-run double for the Panthers in a 3-0 victory over Dos Pueblos at Newbury Park.

“She was awesome,” Coach Joel Garbarino of Dos Pueblos said. “We know she’s good. She beat us two years ago in the playoffs.”

Stokx, whose one-hitter beat Dos Pueblos, 3-1, in a 1999 second-round game, dominated from the first pitch.

She struck out the side on 11 pitches in the first inning, including the first two batters on six pitches.

“I usually have trouble in the first,” Stokx said. “That’s like my toughest inning. I wanted to come out and not get into trouble.”

Trouble was minimal against the Channel League champion Chargers (25-7) for the right-hander who is headed to Chico State.

She struck out six of the first nine, surrendering the only hit to Megan Cooley in the second. Stokx retired the next nine batters.

Newbury Park (20-10), which faces Sonora in a quarterfinal game Thursday, resorted to small ball to generate offense.

Consecutive bunts by Aimee Fiore, Crystal Kincaid and Justine Barnett wreaked havoc on the Charger infield.

After Fiore singled, Kincaid reached when the third baseman threw late while attempting to force Fiore at second. Barnett’s bunt moved the runners to second and third, setting the table for Stokx.

Stokx fouled off an attempted squeeze but ripped a double to center field two pitches later.

The Panthers added a run in the fourth. Chrissy Zappia singled with one out, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on pitcher Stephanie Elliott’s errant throw to first.

Stokx had two of the Panthers’ four hits.