CAMARILLO ACE IN PERFECT PLACE FRESHMAN DEAN SILENCES THOUSAND OAKS CAMARILLO 1, T.O. 0.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Lindsey Dean jumped up and down on the mound before throwing her first pitch of the seventh inning, appearing to shake away some nervousness.

However, the Camarillo High freshman's nerves were mild compared to what they should have been. Dean was anxious to keep the one-run lead. She had no idea she had a perfect game going.

It wasn't until after the game's final out, when her teammates mobbed her near the third-base line, that Dean found out she had not allowed a baserunner during Camarillo's 1-0 victory Tuesday over host Thousand Oaks in the second round of the Southern Section Div. I softball playoffs.

``Wow,'' Dean said of her reaction when finding out she had thrown a perfect game. ``I didn't know until the end. I guess I was kind of focused. I was just pitching.''

Camarillo (22-7) advances to play Valencia or Rosary in the quarterfinals Thursday.

Dean wasn't overpowering but struck out four and received strong defense.

Thousand Oaks (23-6) appeared to have a hit in the fourth when Genna Allen hit a hard line drive to center. But Camarillo center fielder Stephanie Byrne came up and made a shoestring catch.

``That scared us a little, but Stephanie came up and made a really great play,'' Dean said. ``She saved me. I had a lot of support from my teammates. They made all the plays.''

On the Camarillo bench, Dean's teammates knew about her perfect game but did not mention it.

``I knew,'' Camarillo coach Jack Willard said. ``But the tradition says you don't say anything.''

Camarillo scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning. De Ann Young walked with one out, took second on a ground ball and came home on a two-out single to left field by Melanie Douglas.

Young crossed the plate just as the ball arrived. That was the only hard hit of the game for Camarillo, which had just three hits - all singles.

Thousand Oaks' pitching combo of starter Megan Spehar and reliever Suzanne Cominski actually appeared more dominant. Spehar struck out six in four innings and Cominski four in the final three. But the two also walked three batters, including the one that came around to score.

Dean (11-1), who has helped Camarillo win 13 of its past 14 games since she took over as the full-time starter, didn't appear at all like a freshman with her masterful control.

``She's very accurate,'' Willard said. ``I think that was the key. If you want it outside, she doesn't miss inside.''

Matthew Kredell, [phone]

matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com

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Lindsey Dean of Camarillo threw a perfect game against Thousand Oaks, but she didn't know it until after the final out.

Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News