High School Spring Sports : Royal Betrayed by Bad Bounce, 2-1

What is it about the Simi Valley and Royal softball teams that when they play each other, the unexpected frequently happens?

It happened again Friday, as Simi Valley defeated the cross-town rival Highlanders, 2-1, in a Marmonte League game at Rancho Simi Community Park.

The Pioneers rallied to overtake Royal on a two-run home run by senior Melissa Maples in the bottom of the sixth inning.

But even Maples called her hard stroke to left more a stroke of luck than anything else.

“My hit was not a home run at all,” she said. “I thought it was a single. I looked and I thought, ‘Oh, I better run some more.’ I was surprised.”

So were the Highlanders, when Maples’ “single” turned into her first homer after taking a bad hop and sailing over Royal left-fielder Kelly Yarnell’s head.

The hit scored Kelly Kauffman, who had reached base on a single to short. It also moved Simi Valley (15-6, 5-1 in league play) into sole possession of second place behind Newbury Park and left Royal (13-5-1, 4-2) in third.

“We did everything we wanted to do in the game, but then nature took over,” Royal Coach Jon Tabakman said. “The ball hits a rock or something out there and turns a single into a home run.

“But we knew it was going to be that way,” he said. “Going in, I thought it was going to take either an error or a bad hop to win this game.”

“The rivalry is always like this. Anything can happen, but Melissa had a nice rip,” winning pitcher Chrissy Oliver said.

Oliver, a junior left-hander, retired the Highlanders in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.

Oliver (15-5) gave up six hits, walked none and struck out six.