A Little Hit Goes a Long Way

NEWBURY PARK — Softball aficionados know it often doesn’t take a groundswell of offense to win a ball game.

Not even an all-star game, apparently.

The White team managed one hit, which traveled about 10 feet, but it was the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over the Black team Tuesday in the fifth annual Ventura County Coaches Assn. Senior All-Star game at Borchard Park.

With more than 300 in attendance, the extended nine-inning game lasted only 95 minutes and was dominated by pitching.

White team pitchers Jennifer Sharron of Thousand Oaks and Anissa Velasquez of Oxnard allowed just three hits and were helped out by a defense that turned two double plays.

The White team scored in the third inning. Erika Hanson of Thousand Oaks, who reached base on a fielder’s choice, stole second with two out and took third on a passed ball. On the next pitch Justine Rachlin of Thousand Oaks took a full swing and drove the ball into the dirt just in front of the plate.

“I knew if I slapped the ball into the ground I could get to first and Erika would score,” Rachlin said. “I’m working on slapping the ball into the ground on my summer-ball team.”

The hit took a big bounce and by the time pitcher Stacie Beshore ran it down and threw to first, Rachlin was well beyond the bag and Hanson scored.

“I know what goes through her mind,” said Hanson, who is bound for Arizona. “I knew somehow she was gonna get on.”

Sharron, the Marmonte League’s player of the year, gave up one hit, walked one and struck out five in five innings before being relieved by Velasquez.

Brooke Rutschman of Camarillo, 1996 Marmonte League player of the year, relieved Beshore in the fifth--and turned more than a few heads.

Rutschman, a slick-fielding shortstop who has signed with Oregon State, pitched two varsity games in three years at pitching-rich Camarillo. But the way she pitched Tuesday, one would have thought she was one of the region’s veteran aces.

Rutschman, who agreed to pitch because the team had only one other pitcher, did not allow a hit in four innings. She walked one, struck out four and did not allow a base runner except for the walk.

“I’ve never liked pitching as much [as shortstop],” she said. “You get a lot more action [at shortstop] and . . . I like diving. I can’t stand it when I can’t dive.”

Rutschman, Camarillo’s Kortney Edge and Buena’s Robyn Peet each had a hit for the Black team.

The Black team had a chance to tie it in the ninth. With one out, Peet beat out a bunt and went to second on a passed ball. But on the next pitch she tried to steal third and was thrown out by catcher Michelle Maloney of Cornerstone Christian.