A NEAR-PERFECT BALL FOR CAMARILLO : CAMARILLO 6, GLENDALE 0.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer

It can never be said the Camarillo High softball team doesn't have its priorities in order.

Yes, the Scorpions thought long and hard about the school prom Friday night. But they didn't let major details like doing their hair and makeup get in the way of pounding Glendale 6-0 in a first-round Southern Section Division I playoff game that afternoon.

After the win? Well, that's another story.

``I need two minutes in right field,'' Camarillo coach Miki Mangan told her team moments after it beat Glendale.

``But we don't have two minutes,'' Scorpions' second baseman Jessica Mendoza shot back with a smile.

Mendoza had a point. Camarillo's prom was scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. Friday night in Woodland Hills. The game ended at 4:30.

That didn't leave much time to rush home and get dressed and ready to go.

Fortunately, the Scorpions (19-5) made quick work of the over-matched Dynamiters. Cindy Ball tossed a one-hitter and Camarillo pushed across two runs in the first inning and three in the third to win going away.

``I was thinking a lot about the prom all day and right before the game started,'' said Mendoza, who scored three times and tripled in the third inning. ``But my dad told me I better start worrying about the game. Once it started, I didn't think about the prom once. It's weird how it worked out like that.''

Mangan rewarded her standout second baseman by doing Mendoza's makeup before the big dance.

Things are coming together at the right time for the fourth-seeded Scorpions. They won the Marmonte League championship last Thursday by beating Simi Valley in a win-or-else game. They celebrated the following day with a 16-run outburst against Newbury Park. The offensive explosion carried over against Glendale as Camarillo broke loose with eight hits in support of Ball's gem.

``It makes my job a lot easier,'' said Ball. ``We're not just scoring, we're hitting the ball. When we do that, we're tough to beat.''

Camarillo struggled offensively all year, mainly because players were coming in and out of the lineup because of injuries. Mendoza missed part of the year, as did younger sister Lana.

But what seemed like a negative turned into a positive. The Scorpions learned to rely on a number of players instead of just one or two.

On Friday, Jessica Mendoza was a catalyst, but so was Jill Borchard (a hit and two runs scored), Allie Taverner (two hits, two RBI) and Shannon Zigner (one hit, one RBI).

``We're at a point now where, if one girl doesn't get it done, somebody else is right there to pick her up,'' Mangan said. ``It's taken awhile to get there, but I think we're there now.''

Ball was dominant while striking out nine. The talented senior teams with Kathryn Nevard to give Camarillo an outstanding pitching tandem. Coupled with a stingy defense and emerging offense, Camarillo is clearly one of the teams to beat in the playoffs.

``We want to go all the way, the girls have their heart set on that,'' Mangan said.