Slap-happy start

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers TAKING THEIR HACKS—Stefany Valentino and the Agoura High softball team play at Valencia today. With so many good softball teams in the area, coaches know the playoffs will be ruthless.

Oaks Christian and Oak Park hope they have the mettle to make a deep run in the CIF-Southern Section Division III bracket.

Cochampions of the TriValley League, Oaks Christian (244-1) was awarded the TVL's top seed and will open the postseason at home today against Flintridge Sacred Heart.

Oak Park (16-10) plays host to Burroughs.

"There's the preseason, league and playoffs—but this is what everyone measures you by," OCHS head coach Peter Ackermann said.

Other local teams will also take the diamond today.

Marmonte League champion Thousand Oaks (23-5) plays Saugus at home in Division I action. Moorpark (15-10) is at Rio Mesa (217) and Simi Valley (198) plays host to Los Alamitos.

Agoura, which upended Camarillo 5-0 during Tuesday's wild-card game, travels to Valencia. The Chargers are 16-10.

In Division IV, Viewpoint (17-3) plays Boron at home while Grace Brethren (11-5) hosts Santa Clarita Christian.

All playoff games are scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m.

Westlake and La Reina dropped wild-card contests Tuesday.

The host Warriors lost to Kennedy 2-1 in Division I, while the Regents fell 14-0 at Quartz Hill in Division III action.

Oaks Christian will look to keep its foes off balance with a pair of solid sophomore righthanded pitchers, Kiana Quolas and Leah Bleichner.

All four of the Lions' defeats this year have been by one run.

"People ask me all the time, 'Who's your best pitcher?' I tell them, 'The one I pick that day," Ackermann said with a chuckle.

"Both pitchers have done an outstanding job all year."

Oaks Christian relies on leadoff hitter Lauren Lindstrom (22 hits, 16 runs, three home runs), freshman catcher Savannah Carpenter (.405 batting average, 22 RBI) and senior first baseman Katie Elliott (.348 BA, 24 RBI) to provide pop in the lineup.

Oak Park coach Roger Newell, who's guided the Eagles for 25 seasons, thinks a tough preseason schedule has prepared his squad for the rigors of what lies ahead.

"We've had an opportunity to face a wide variety of pitchers, pitches, teams and different situations," Newell said. "Those experiences help when you go in and make (midgame) adjustments."

Oak Park will attempt to erase the sting of last season's 4-3 loss to Sonora in the first round.

Standout pitcher Julia Rice, who has 149 strikeouts, 73 walks and a 1.85 ERA, leads Oak Park.

Kathryn Klamecki has 19 RBI; Christie Langlois has 32 hits and 19 runs; and Brett Hall, Kelsey Haines and Langlois have each scored 19 runs for OPHS.

Not everyone on Thousand Oaks' roster remembers losing to Saugus 5-4 in the 2007 postseason opener, but the Lancers will use it as motivation today.

"Some of our returning seniors are very excited about the game," said Thousand Oaks coach Gary Walin. "They are very anxious to exact a little revenge."

Sophomore Taylor Yamek will start in the circle for the Lancers. Yamek has a 13-4 record with 45 strikeouts, 29 walks and a 1.22 ERA. She is also a force at the plate with a .329 batting average, 16 RBI and eight doubles.

Teammate Paris Shipp has a .361 batting average, 21 RBI, four homers and 17 runs. Kanani Datan has 32 hits and 15 runs.

"It's a long process, but we're focusing on (today) and just trying to win a ballgame," Walin said, "just like we've tried to find a way to win for most of the year."

Agoura enters today's game with momentum, after the first five runners scored in the bottom of the first inning of a 5-0 win against Camarillo.

Emily Sampson highlighted the barrage with a three-run home run before an out was recorded. Julie Lewis added a two-RBI single, while freshman Stephanie Lord hurled a shutout.

"If we get off to a start like we did today, and if we play this kind of ball throughout the playoffs, we can play with anybody," Agoura head coach Chance Redmond said.

Viewpoint, champions of the Liberty League, will count on Michelle Lesser (.476 BA, five home runs, 25 RBI), Brooke Berka (.433 BA, three home runs, 32 RBI) and Emily Ashton (19 RBI) on offense.