Simi Valley Saves the Best for Last, Rallies in Seventh

Cindy Gray of Simi Valley High singled in Melissa King to cap a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 3-2 victory over Newbury Park in a Marmonte League softball game Thursday at Rancho Santa Susana Park.

Newbury Park’s Alyson Blum (3-1) limited The Times’ top-ranked team in the region to three hits in the first six innings, but the Pioneers (21-4, 8-3 in league play) bunched three hits, a walk and a fielding error for three runs in the seventh. Simi Valley is tied with Camarillo for the league lead.

Cindy Muran drove in both runs for No. 6 Newbury Park (18-6, 7-4), which has lost three times to Simi Valley this season.

In other games:

Agoura 4, Camarillo 3--Cindy Ball was thrown out at third trying to stretch a long hit that normally would have cleared the fence and No. 3 Camarillo (14-5, 8-3) was upset by Agoura (12-8, 6-5) in a Marmonte League contest at Camarillo. The Scorpions’ temporary outfield fence was removed by groundskeepers to cut the grass Thursday and was not replaced by game time.

With her team trailing, 4-1 in the seventh inning, Ball’s hit reportedly cleared where the fence would have been and drove in Jessica Mendoza and Jill Borchard.

Agoura pitcher Jennifer Grennan (8-6), who pitched a seven-hitter with six strikeouts, induced two groundouts to end the game.

Crescenta Valley 1, Glendale 0--Freshman Meredith Cervenka earned her 13th shutout and Melinda Moulden drove in the game’s only run with a triple in the fifth inning and the visiting Falcons (21-5, 8-0) wrapped up the Pacific League title.

Cervenka has gone 54 consecutive innings without allowing a run and improved her record to 15-0.

Chaminade 2, Alemany 0--Junior right-hander Maureen LeCocq (14-7) extended her scoreless innings streak to 40, striking out seven and allowing two hits in a Mission League victory. Erin Taylor singled twice and drove in a run for the visiting Eagles (14-7, 6-0). Alemany (15-9, 3-4), the eight-time defending league champion, fell to fourth place.

Sylmar 5, Monroe 0--Teresa Estrada hit a three-run double in the first inning and the host Spartans (13-5, 10-0) clinched their 10th Mid-Valley League title in 12 years. Nadine Traba (7-3) threw a four-hit shutout.

North Hollywood 3, Grant 0--Tashean Thomas had a run-scoring triple in the fifth inning and had three hits for the Huskies (7-8, 5-5) in a victory that clinched the East Valley League title at Grant (9-7, 5-5).

El Camino Real 12, Taft 0--Three pitchers combined on a no-hitter, allowing only one runner, and the Conquistadores (17-2, 10-0) cruised in a West Valley League finale at El Camino Real.