Agoura softball clinches playoff spot with rout of Thousand Oaks

AGOURA — The Agoura softball team secured a spot in the CIF Southern Section playoffs Thursday by defeating Thousand Oaks 11-1 in six innings in a Marmonte League game.

The Chargers (17-14 overall, 7-2 league) are tied with Oaks Christian for first place with one league game remaining for each team. Agoura will play at Westlake on Tuesday.

“That win sealed the deal for a playoff spot, which was our goal,” Agoura coach Chance Redmond said. “If we win Tuesday, at the very least, we’re co-league champions. Which is still a league championship with Oaks Christian, if they win too. So this is a big step towards that.”

Junior Amaya Del Olmo and senior Mia Gomez each hit home runs for Agoura, which built up a 9-0 lead before Thousand Oaks scored its run in the fifth inning.

“As a team, we’re just hitting exceptionally well,” Redmond said. “The team itself has been fantastic, and senior leadership has been the main reason behind that.”

The Agoura seniors were in the spotlight before the contest even began, as the team celebrated “Senior Night.”

Gomez tried to block out the distractions so she could focus on helping the team win.

“My goal in the box is just to help out the team,” she said, “because obviously it’s senior night, and a lot of it is revolved around us. But we are still a team, so everybody is just as important on this night as every other night.”

Agoura took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Del Olmo’s solo home run.

The Lancers were shut out by senior pitcher Alyssa Chavez for the first four innings.

Agoura kept the runs coming, as senior Rylee Redmond hit a double to bring in a run and Quinn Tamburro scored on an error.

Gomez increased the lead to 6-0 with a home run.

Thousand Oaks switched to sophomore pitcher Samantha Case, but Agoura continued to produce at the plate.

Freshman Emilia Liversidge scored on a hit by sophomore Jordyn Charash.

Gomez followed with a single to center field that drove in two runs and raised the score to 9-0.

In the top of the fifth inning, freshman Madison Jauregui drove in senior Morgan Casillas to put Thousand Oaks on the board, 9-1.

The Chargers added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to trigger the 10-run mercy rule, ending the contest. Aurelia Ehry’s double drove in Del Olmo for a 10-1 lead and the Chargers scored their final run on an error.

“It wasn’t our best day, but we have been playing very well all year,” Thousand Oaks coach Heather Spohr said. “It was Agoura’s day. They played hard. They played out there like they wanted it. They honored their seniors. So, nothing to take away from them, they just put bats on balls and we didn’t.”

The Chargers led in hits with nine to the Lancers’ four.