COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS : Moorpark Clinches Title, 3-2

The Moorpark College softball team scored three runs the hard way in the seventh inning to squeeze past Cuesta College 3-2, in a Western State Conference game at Cuesta on Friday. Moorpark, (24-11, 11-1 in conference) ranked fifth in the state, clinched the conference championship with the victory.

The Raiders, trailing 2-0, loaded the bases in the top of the seventh. Malia Ouzts scored the first run on a delayed steal after an infield pop fly and Kristi Barber drove in the second run with a hard-hit ground ball that Cuesta’s shortstop could not handle.

Michele Barr drove in Hedi Leal with the winning run on a ground ball that the Cuesta shortstop mistakenly played as the third out, throwing to first base instead of home.

Karen Mead (24-10) pitched a three-hitter and struck out four to earn the victory.

Laurie Atwell hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to account for Cuesta’s runs.

SOFTBALL

Despite a fine pitching performance by Pauline Madrid, Pierce lost a 1-0 Western State Conference game at Santa Monica Madrid (12-11), who did not allow an earned run, pitched a two-hitter and struck out nine. Santa Monica (6-6 in conference) scored the only run of the game in the second inning when Marie Christiansen singled and later scored on a Pierce throwing error. Corinne Yamane pitched a complete-game two-hitter for Santa Monica. Sabrina Kuhn and Kim Casino singled for the only Pierce (12-11, 7-5 in conference) hits. . . . Bakersfield scored eight unearned runs and went on to defeat College of the Canyons, 9-0, in a Western State Conference game at Bakersfield. Canyons (10-16, 5-7 in conference) committed 10 errors. Susan Lowry led Bakersfield (7-4 in conference) with three hits and four runs batted in. . . . Cal Lutheran swept a doubleheader from Azusa Pacific, 4-0, 7-1, in an NAIA District III game at Azusa. Freshman Dee Pilkington (10-6) threw a three-hit shutout and struck out six in the first game. Kim Peppi (10-5) pitched a four-hitter in the second game. Teri Rupe, Anne Swinehart and Kelly Ingram each had RBI singles for Cal Lutheran (25-13, 14-1 in district) in a three-run fourth inning in the first game. Pilkington led a 12-hit attack for the 18th-ranked Lady Kingsmen in the second game.