Area softball squads open postseason Friday
Nine teams from the Conejo Valley are in the mix
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers MAJOR POP-La Reina slugger Brianna Jorgensborg will power the Regents into the CIF-SS Division V playoffs Friday.

The CIF-Southern Section softball playoffs begin Friday with nine area teams representing five divisions set to battle for the right to hang a coveted CIF championship banner.

In Division I, the Marmonte League co-champion Thousand Oaks Lancers will host Foothill, the Sea View League's third-place team. TOHS won eight of its last nine games to finish the regular season with a 20-5 record.

Sophomore pitcher Brittany Reynolds (17-4, .935 ERA, 153 Ks) will figure prominently on the mound for Thousand Oaks.

Samantha Takeshita (.405 BA, 21 RBI) and Marla Mathews (.392 BA, seven home runs) head a Lancer offense that averaged more than six runs per game during the regular season.

"I think we're playing our best at this particular time," TOHS head coach Gary Walin said.

"Once you start the CIF playoffs, you want to be playing well," he said. "But not only do you have to be playing well, you've got to have a little luck, too."

Last year's CIF champion Royal Highlanders went 21-4 this season-splitting the Marmonte League title with T.O.-and will host Foothill League No. 3 Hart in the opening round.

Royal's roster is deep and talented. The Highlanders have four players that hit at least .400 during the regular season-Paula Vargo (.425), Kacee Cox (.415), Rebecca Heteniak (.410) and Shawna Mallory (.400).

Heteniak's also the Highlanders' pitching ace, having posted a 13-2 record with a .333 ERA in 105 innings of work. She also struck out 139 batters and walked only 24.

Third-place Moorpark has the unenviable task of taking on second-seeded Camarillo. The Musketeers won five of six games to end the season, but will face Scorpion ace Lindsey Dean on the road Friday. Moorpark's offense is led by junior Kristine Priebe (.443 BA, 10 doubles, .500 OBP).

Newbury Park lost five of its last six games down the stretch before beating Simi Valley in the regular-season finale to clinch the Marmonte's final playoff spot.

The Lady Panthers drew topseeded Valencia on the road in the opening round. NPHS will need a standout performance by senior pitcher Tiffany Curtis (6-5, .902 ERA, 142 Ks) to upset the Foothill League champion Vikings.

Representing Division III are the Oaks Christian Lions. After going undefeated in the Frontier League and finishing the regular season with a 24-5 record, the Lions earned the division's top seed and will host either Hoover or Knight in their postseason opener.

Juniors Courtney Lee (.520 BA, 38 RBI, 30 runs) and Taylor Schlopy (.519 BA, 41 hits, 23 RBI) have been phenomenal at the plate for OCHS. Freshman Jenna Foster (12-4, .996 ERA) could see the bulk of the innings on the mound for Oaks Christian.

A pair of Tri-Valley League teams will vie for the Division V championship.

Oak Park, La Reina and St. Bonaventure split the Tri-Valley title with 8-2 league records. Oak Park will host L.A. Baptist Friday, while La Reina travels to play Almont League champion Schurr.

Oak Park sophomore shortstop Jen Colquhoun (.373 BA, 23 RBI, five home runs) fuels the Eagle offense with her powerful presence at the plate. Pitching ace Julia Rice (8-3, .781 ERA, 138 Ks, 12 walks) rarely gives up walks and will force opposing teams to beat her.

La Reina was 18-3 this year and finished the regular season with a six-game winning streak, including huge victories over Oak Park and St. Bonaventure down the stretch.

Regents junior center fielder Brianna Jorgensborg (.550 BA, 44 RBI, eight home runs) swings a wicked stick and may be the toughest out in the playoffs.

"I think we're playing the best of any of the three schools from our league right now," La Reina head coach Don Hyatt said.

"There're a lot of things that are going well for us," he said. "We've probably got the best hitting team we've had since 2000 . . . we've got a great combination of power and speed."

Grace Brethren won the Delphic League championship and will host Desert in the first round of the Division VI playoffs.

The Lady Lancers batted .358 as a team this season and are led by Jennifer Irvine (.603 BA, five home runs), Bryanna Hardy (.564 BA, 32 RBI), Ladawn Montgomery (.515 BA, three home runs) and Ashley Rice (.465 BA, nine doubles).

Last but not least, the Viewpoint Patriots are on the road to play New Roads in the Division VII opening round.