Moorpark shakes up its lineup in preparation for the postseason
Musketeers open on the road today at Hart
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers HEADING HOME- Moorpark's Tori Flores rounds the bases during Wednesday's practice. The playoffs begin today for MHS.

The CIFSouthern Section Division I softball playoffs start today, and many teams from the area have a chance at making it to the championship game the first weekend of June at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

While Thousand Oaks High won the Marmonte League with a 12-2 record, the league will send three other teams to the postseason. Royal, Moorpark and Simi Valley will all fight for a championship as well.

Moorpark finished the year with an 8-6 record in the Marmonte League and will play on the road against Hart of Newhall, who finished second in the Foothill League to nationally ranked Valencia High.

MHS played a doubleheader with Hart earlier in the season, dropping both games and failing to score in each. Moorpark head coach Meaghan Stotts is hoping for a different result the third time around.

"We have a very tough matchup in the first round, as Hart is a great, great, great team," Stotts said. "They are wellcoached and coming in second place in a league that features Valencia says a lot."

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers GOOD TIMES- Chelsea Anderson, left, and Taylor Neumann of Moorpark share a laugh as Neumann arrives at third base.

To get more run production against the Indians, Stotts has decided to move her leadoff hitter, Tori Flores, to the No. 3 hole, ahead of slugger Taylor Neumann. Flores batted .357 on the season and clubbed six home runs.

"Flores hit two home runs the other day but because she is the leadoff hitter she only had two RBI," Stotts said. "I'm hoping by dropping her down in the lineup she can drive in some more runs."

Stotts said she'll likely move sophomore Kaitlin Priebe to the leadoff position because of her speed and her ability to put the ball in play.

MHS will start Shawna Sturgill on the mound against Hart. The junior led the Musketeers with a 2.58 ERA.

"In tough games she is always the one that wants the ball, so I decided to give her the start," Stotts said. "She mixes her pitches very well. I'm hoping she can keep the Hart batters off balance with her stuff.

"I expect this to be a very close, low scoring game. Whosever defense plays stellar will have a good chance of winning. Hopefully we can squeeze out some runs and win."

Royal will play at home today against Pacifica/Oxnard after going 11-3 in the Marmonte League and 20-6 overall.

"We saw Pacifica play other teams while we were at the Simi Tournament early in the year, so we know a little bit about them," Royal head coach Bill Dishon said. "The key is we have to play solid ourselves no matter who we are playing. This is the playoffs, and every team is good."

If there's one team not taking anything for granted it is the Highlanders, who lost in the first round to Hart of Newhall last year after winning the Marmonte League title.

"No question about it, there is a hungry desire from our players to do better than last year and get past the first round," Dishon said. "It's a whole different scenario this year.

"Obviously, we wanted to win league. But the main goal is to get to the playoffs. Once in the playoffs, anything can happen."

For Royal to go deep into the postseason the team must continue to get great offensive production from senior third baseman Kacee Cox. Cox, who is headed for St. John's University in the fall, batted .432 with two home runs and 31 RBI.

"Kacee is just a wonder on this team," Dishon said. "She always gives 100 percent in practices and games and is always focused."

Other hitters that should be vital to the Highlanders' success are Jennifer Mosier, Elizabeth Tsipouras, Kris Lesovsky and Bonnie Ward, all of whom batted over .300 on the year.

Dishon said he hasn't decided yet on his starting pitcher for Royal's first-round game, but the Highlanders' ace would have to be Tsipouras. The junior won 19 games while posting an ERA of 1.06 and striking out 176 batters.

Crystal Norris should be a pitching factor for RHS as well.

Royal's crosstown rival, Simi Valley, earned the No. 3 seed out of the Marmonte League after finishing the year in third place with a 9-5 league record. The Pioneers will go on the road today to square off against Oxnard, the Pacific View League's No. 2 seed.

Russ Michael's squad has won its last five games, and in order to advance past the first round, the team will need its pitching to keep performing at a high level.

In the last five games, Simi pitchers have allowed just nine runs. Kelli-jo Killingsworth is the Pioneer ace after winning 11 games with an ERA of 1.79. Also contributing on the rubber is Chelsea Mitchell and Kelly Eder.

Simi Valley's offense is led by Samantha Fischer. She batted .400 and showed power by clubbing five home runs and driving in 25 RBI. Briana Stephan, Amber Olive, Haley Thomas and Jenn De Fazio all batted better than .300.

All games are set for 3:15 p.m.