High School Softball : Thousand Oaks Alone at Top After 2-1 Win

The score was tied, the count was 0-and-2 and there were two out in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The way Diane Borck saw it, she didn’t have much choice--she could either hope for four consecutive balls or take one last full swing.

Borck, a senior designated hitter, executed the latter option perfectly. Her single up the middle scored Jamie Heggen with the winning run as Thousand Oaks defeated Newbury Park, 2-1, in a Marmonte League softball game Tuesday at Thousand Oaks.

“O-and-2,” said Borck, shaking her head. “Oh, God, I just had to do it. I’m just glad I did.”

So are the Lancers, who improved to 21-7 overall, 9-2 in league play. With one game left, Thousand Oaks moved into first place, ahead of Newbury Park (16-8-1, 9-3) and Simi Valley, which also is 9-3 in league play after a 1-0 loss to Royal on Tuesday.

The victory also gave Thousand Oaks a season sweep of Newbury Park for the first time. The Lancers defeated the Panthers, 2-1, in extra innings last week.

Borck, who said, “I knew I could do it,” also had faith in her team.

“We had a lot of confidence coming in today,” she said. “We had beaten them last week, so we knew.”

Both teams wasted scoring opportunities. The Lancers had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth and didn’t score; in the ninth, Borck (3 for 5) led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but was left stranded when Newbury Park pitcher Lea Lopez retired the next three batters.

The Panthers had the bases loaded in the sixth and didn’t score. In the eighth, they had runners at first and third and were held scoreless.