Rio Mesa Tripps Up Camarillo

OXNARD — They’re young. They’re confident.

And they’re winning the battle for respect among the most successful softball teams Ventura County has to offer.

Rio Mesa High pulled off its second upset of the season Friday by surprising Camarillo, 2-1, in a Pacific View League game at Rio Mesa.

The Spartans (6-3-1, 3-1 in league play), unranked despite a victory and a tie against No. 4 Thousand Oaks in a nonleague doubleheader, tied Camarillo (7-3, 3-1) for the league lead.

Sophomore right-hander Chanel Tripp pitched a six-hitter, struck out 12 and doubled to drive in the Spartans’ first run in the second inning.

Coach John Velasquez has always fielded competitive teams in his 13 seasons at Rio Mesa. But this squad, which starts only one senior, might prove to be his best.

“We have to earn our stripes and we know that,” said Velasquez, after watching his team score on Camarillo for the first time in five league games. “One of the things we try to instill in the players is that we can compete with anyone in the county.”

Although Camarillo, ranked No. 3 in the region by The Times, beat Rio Mesa, 3-0, Tuesday, the Spartans were ready for the rematch.

Tripp (4-2), battling knee and shoulder pain all season, dreamed of upstaging Kathryn Nevard of Camarillo, The Times’ Ventura County pitcher of the year last season.

“We just wanted to beat Nevard,” Tripp said. “The rest of that team is not that good. . . . But she’s one of the best in the area. I give her all the credit.”

Nevard (7-3), who pitched a two-hitter and struck out 12 on Tuesday, allowed five hits and struck out seven in the rematch.

Although only two of the hits left the infield, Nevard shouldered some of the blame.

“I didn’t feel on,” said Nevard, who retired the last 10 batters. “I’ve been pitching a lot with my sister [Meredith]. . . . I don’t really know what to think.

“I didn’t come out here thinking we’d lose. We played good enough to win, but we didn’t execute.”

In the third inning with two out and runners at first and second, Monique Barretto hit a sharp ground ball to the left of Nevard. The grounder glanced off Nevard’s glove for a hit, but second baseman Alana Mendoza failed to retrieve the ball in time to get Elisa De La Torre, who scored.

Two pitches earlier, Barretto popped a foul ball 10 feet up the first-base line, but neither catcher Nikki Sutton, first baseman Renana Fortney nor Nevard were able to make a play that would have ended the inning.

“I think we were a little laid back because of how the last game turned out [with them],” said Coach Miki Mangan of Camarillo.

Camarillo, which scored on Melissa Ziese’s single in the seventh, stranded 12 runners, seven in scoring position.

Beth Boskovich had three of Camarillo’s five hits and would have had a fourth had lead runner Fortney not been thrown out at second on De La Torre’s throw from left-center field.