Lancers put the brakes on Agoura's win streak

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers PITCHING WITH PURPOSE—Thousand Oaks High sophomore left-handed pitcher Taylor Yamek, above, was able to limit Agoura to six hits over seven innings during Tuesday's 4-1 win at TOHS. Behind seven strong innings from pitcher Taylor Yamek and a two-run blast by shortstop Paris Shipp, the Thousand Oaks High softball squad was able to cool off red-hot Agoura with a 4-1 victory Tuesday at TOHS.

Agoura, which fell to 10-8 overall and 5-4 in the Marmonte League, entered the contest with six consecutive wins but was unable to muster much offense against the Lancers' sophomore left-handed hurler.

"I just did what I do best," said Yamek, who allowed one run and six hits on the afternoon.

"I tried to stay ahead in the count and relied on my defense to back me up. I'm not even nervous when I go out there anymore because I know my team will back me up," she said.

With the win, Thousand Oaks improved to 18-3, 8-1 in league.

The Lancers remain in first place in the Marmonte, one game ahead of defending league champion Simi Valley. TOHS and Simi Valley both have five league contests remaining in the regular season.

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers ROUND-TRIPPER—Lancer sophomore Paris Shipp, center with helmet on, hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Yamek and Agoura freshman Stephanie Lord, another lefthander, were locked into a pitchers' duel for much of the game until Thousand Oaks was able to push across three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

With the contest knotted at 1-1 in the sixth, and after fouling off a half-dozen tough pitches, Yamek helped her cause with a one-out RBI single to left field that scored freshman Kanani Datan.

Shipp, the Lancers' sophomore cleanup hitter, followed suit with a long home run to left that made the score 4-1.

"It's kind of nice having (Shipp) hit after me," Yamek said.

Prior to the three-run outburst in the sixth, Thousand Oaks scored the game's first run on a secondinning RBI single by freshman Leah Lucas that plated Shipp.

Agoura scored its only run in the top of the fifth inning on a bases loaded RBI groundout by junior Stefany Valentino that drove home freshman Jamie DePippo.

With three runners on and only one out, Charger head coach Chance Redmond said his team squandered a chance to blow the game open in the fifth.

"That situation, if it could've gone another way, would have changed the outcome of the game," Redmond said.

Lord went 5 1/3 innings for the Chargers, giving up four hits and striking out three. She was relieved by senior Allison Schneider with one out in the sixth inning.

DePippo was 3-for-3 at the plate. All of her hits were singles.

Following the game, Redmond praised Thousand Oaks, but the coach couldn't help but feel like his squad let one slip away.

"The girls made a couple of mistakes, but none that I remember leading to any runs," Redmond said.

"Today we just got beat. They were a better team today. But I'm still 100 percent sure that we can beat them. Since they've beaten us twice, that's pretty bold of me to say, but I know we have the talent to beat them."

Yamek continues to be the story for Thousand Oaks.

The La Reina transfer began the year as the Lancers' No. 2 pitcher and didn't figure to get much time in the circle while working behind senior standout Jackie Manzer.

Following a blistering start to the season, Manzer was sidelined with an injury near her pitching elbow.

According to TOHS head coach Gary Walin, Manzer's ailment won't require surgery, but it will keep the ace fireballer out of the lineup for the remainder of the season.

In picking up the slack for Manzer, Yamek has posted an 83 record with a 1.19 ERA. Senior Josie Tressel has filled in well as the Lancers' new No. 2 pitcher. She's 3-0 with a 0.85 ERA.

"We're 183, and to be honest, it's a blessing," Walin said. "If you would have told me that (Manzer) would pitch seven games all year and we'd be 18-3, I'd say you were nuts. . . .

"I'm just really proud of the way Taylor has stepped up for us, and Josie, too. They've both been outstanding," Walin said.

Thousand Oaks plays at Westlake today at 3:30 p.m. The Warriors upended Royal, 4-1, on Tuesday. Agoura hosts Newbury Park at the same time.