Thousand Oaks Unable to Catch Break in 3-2 Loss

Anaheim Loara scored three runs in its last at-bat, the final two after a reversed call by the umpires and an error by Thousand Oaks, to defeat the defending champion Lancers, 3-2, in a Southern Section Division II second-round softball game Tuesday at Loara.

The winning run came across when Loara’s Ashley Fanna and Deandra Jex were hit by pitches in consecutive at-bats with two out in the bottom of the seventh, forcing home Lauren Lappin.

Lappin reached base and drove in Loara’s first run after grounding into a force out. Coach Scott Weber of Loara (22-11) asked the field umpire to check with the home plate umpire to see if the throw to second was bobbled. After a brief conference, the runner, Kelly Melone, was called safe.

An error allowed a run to score and put runners on second and third. Thousand Oaks pitcher Amanda Kilionski (14-4), who stranded a total of seven runners in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, then hit the next two batters.

“That call changed the inning,” said Thousand Oaks Coach Gary Walin. “But we made some other mistakes.”

The Lancers (21-9-1) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by Kilionski, a junior who sat out last season and part of this season after transferring from Simi Valley High.

Dan Arritt

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In boys’ golf:

City Section final--Granada Hills shot 319 for a two-day score of 623 and won its second consecutive title in a tournament that ended in controversy when Steve Chung of Palisades was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard during play at the Harding and Wilson golf courses.

Had Chung’s score counted, Palisades would have won by two strokes, but the Dolphins had to count an 82 by Mike Zweig and tied Granada Hills, 623-623. Granada Hills won on a tiebreaker of back nine scores, 154-156.

Though USGA rules call for disqualification, Palisades Coach James Paleno disputed the ruling because Chung did not keep his own score. An official scorer walks with each group and records the scores. Palisades players made a hasty exit after the ruling and refused to accept second-place trophies.

Junior Denny Bae of Fairfax shot one-under-par 143 to win the individual title by three shots over defending champion Alex Paex of Marshall.

Peter Yoon

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In boys’ tennis:

Troy 9, Rio Mesa 9--No. 1 singles player Jeffrey Das and the No. 1 doubles team of twins Edward and Edwin Mendoza each recorded three-set sweeps to help the No. 2-seeded Warriors hang on for a victory on games, 76-71, in a Southern Section Division II quarterfinal match at Rio Mesa.

Rio Mesa (16-4) trailed, 7-5, going into the final round-robin sets, but pulled into a 9-9 tie when No. 2 singles player Khai Nguyen defeated Troy’s No. 3 player, Jonathan Sujarit, 6-3. Rio Mesa’s No. 2 doubles team of Casey Malone and Ryan Matsumori then won 6-3 to tie the match.

But Troy’s 41-34 advantage in doubles games gave the Warriors (25-1) their 20th consecutive victory. Troy will face Santa Barbara, a 14-4 winner over Valencia, on Thursday.

Lauren Peterson

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Santa Monica 10, Dana Hills 8--Freshman Jonathan Sappaiboon swept his singles sets, 6-0, 6-2, 6-0, to lead host Santa Monica (12-4 ) in its upset of top-seeded Dana Hills in a Division I match.