MOORPARK ABLE TO TURN IT AROUND.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne  Staff Writer

Marmonte League softball games start at 3:30 p.m., so understandably, some parents can't make it out until after work, usually about midway though the game. And that's fine, because they can get an update from the parents who have been there the entire game.

Tim Harrington, the father of Moorpark High senior captain Courtney Harrington, usually makes it for the entire game and is a reliable source for late arrivers.

But last Tuesday against league-power Westlake, he couldn't resist having a little fun with them.

``The parents that got there late, showed up and said: 'What's the score?' and I said, '5-0,' '' Harrington said.

``Then they'd go, 'Ah, shoot.' And I'd say, 'No, 5-0 us.' ''

Harrington could have told them that first, and not allowed their expectations to lead to the assumption Moorpark must be losing 5-0, but what fun would that have been?

And it's not often in the past two years an opportunity like that has come up.

Moorpark went 1-13 in the Marmonte League last season. The Musketeers won two games all season.

It takes a lot to break expectations a losing season like that can create. But with every victory, and Moorpark is 9-4 and 2-3 in league, parents, league rivals and even the players themselves are changing those expectations.

``It's really fun this year, just to know that everyone believes in themselves and we actually have the talent and we can win if we just play our games,'' senior Jonae Perez said. ``Last year, everyone was fighting with each other. No one really had fun at all, nobody expected to win.

``Now, we expect to win and go in with confidence. We're not overpowering but we know that if we play together and don't make errors, we can win. ... I don't think we'll be respected this season at all, no matter how many teams we beat. But I kind of like that though because we come out as the underdogs and it's fun to win in that role.''

That might be so, but if Moorpark keeps beating teams like Westlake, which was ranked No. 4 by the Daily News at the time and was undefeated in league play, at least Moorpark will be known as a dangerous team, capable of derailing the league-championship hopes of others.

The biggest differences this season, besides the Musketeers' mental outlook, has been the pitching of freshman Emma Ideal (6-0) and sophomore Lindsey Chacon, the return of Perez from a knee injury and the hitting of freshman Kristine Priebe.

Coach Geoff Combe, who had never had a losing season in three years at Moorpark until last season, said the team was young last season and the experience those players gained, despite all the losses, is paying off this year.

``Pitchers this year have stepped up and my defense has accommodated them,'' Combe said. ``When we do those things, we can win. But if we don't, we can't make up those things.''

Last season, Moorpark never put any of those things together. The defense was shoddy, the pitching was inexperienced and with Perez out with a torn ACL, there wasn't much offense to speak of. To put it bluntly, Moorpark was almost an automatic two victories for the rest of the league.

Perez, who has received interest from Cal State Northridge, Cal State Fullerton and San Diego State, said she's only about 95 percent recovered from the injury.

But Perez's 95 percent is better than most people's 110 percent, and she's made a big impact. She's batting close to .400 and two weeks ago, she became the first player to hit a home run over the fence at Moorpark since it was installed three years ago.

And with a hitter such as Priebe, who's also batting close to .400, to protect Perez in the lineup, Moorpark is quickly developing a reputation as a dangerous offensive team around the Marmonte League.

``Moorpark can hit,'' Thousand Oaks coach Gary Walin said. ``They'll be a lot better this year.''

Maybe expectations can change.

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com