SOFTBALL BEAT\PLAYERS SPOTLIGHT.

Byline: Dave Desmond

Sister Act: It seems Lisa De Stefano and her young sophomore catcher are always on the same tactical page.

Perhaps it comes from experience. After all, Simi Valley's battery-mates have lived together all their lives.

Lisa, an All-Marmonte League selection last season as a junior, and sister Cara, a sophomore beginning her first full season on the varsity, appear at times to read each others' minds.

It's a rare occurrence when Lisa has to shake off little sister Cara more than twice in a game.

"They work very well together," coach Suzanne Manlet said.

Despite her almost rookie status, the sophomore catcher doesn't hesitate to walk out to the circle and give her senior sister/pitcher a verbal kick in the double-knits.

"She'll come out there and yell at me just like I'm anyone else," Lisa says.

After all, she is family.

The De Stefanos are not the only family members playing for the Pioneers. Their cousin, Lori Tande, also an all-league player, pitches and plays shortstop for Simi Valley (1-1).

OFFBEAT

Sister Act II: Canoga Park coach Steve Pietrolungo is learning a lot about the theory of relative-ity. His team may lead the area in softball siblings.

The Hunters boast three sets of varsity sisters and another family combo on the junior varsity.

"We have a lot of initials on our uniforms," Pietrolungo said.

Jenny and Lisa Pitillo, Janette and Danielle Jeknavorian and Jessica and Vanessa Gonzalez certainly make for a confusing lineup card. Throw in JVs Gabriel and Maribel Castellanos and the Hunters present a quadruple case of double-vision.

To add to the confusion, the Gonzalezes are identical twins.

"It throws other teams off," Pietrolungo said. "They say, 'I thought we just pitched to that girl.' We laugh and say 'You did.' "

It must be softball season: To most coaches, it seems, the weather is perfect for softball - through the fall and winter seasons. As soon as spring hits, so do the rain storms.

La Canada, for example, held its first outdoor practice of the season on Wednesday.

"If we could play games in a cafeteria, we'd probably be No. 1 in the CIF," coach Tom Parker said. "We have so much experience in there this year."

TREND WATCH

Revenge: Verdugo Hills, which lost 2-0 to Garfield in last year's City 3-A championship, gained a measure of revenge last week when it opened the season with a 2-0 nonconference victory over the Bulldogs.

Third-year varsity outfielder Kristy Frye made the game-saving play when she knocked down a drive ticketed for the gap with two runners on base in the sixth.

"You had to see it," coach Dan Balkey said. "It was a great play."

Scorpions stinging the ball: No. 1 Camarillo opened the season in impressive fashion, beating Sylmar 15-0 and Canyon 12-0 Saturday in the Hart tournament.

"Everybody's creaming the ball right now," said first baseman Jessica Ziese, who last week orally committed to play at Utah. "It's really clicking."

Indeed, the Scorpions collected 24 hits while allowing only one in the two games.

Pitcher Melanie Richardson struck out 18 in a no-hitter against Sylmar and Cindy Ball tossed a one-hitter and 13 strikeouts against Canyon.

"I just hope we end the season the same way we started it," coach Nichole Victoria said.

Heavily armed: Several area teams have legitimate front-line pitchers, but few have a staff as deep as Chaminade's.

Sophomore Kelly Durkin was All-Mission League last season and led the Eagles to the postseason.

Senior Dana Preston had a string of 70 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run as a sophomore before enduring an injury-plagued junior season.

And Maureen LeCocq is among the best freshman pitchers in Southern California.

"I feel very honored to have such a special trio of girls like them," coach Steve Harrington said.

The wrong streak: Reseda, which at one point last season had the area's longest winning streak at 19 games, broke a two-game skid on Tuesday.

The Regents, who were 19-0 before a City 4-A semifinal loss, dropped a 1-0 opener to Banning on Thursday. They rebounded this week, however, to beat Birmingham 3-1.

Bad hop on the keyboard: The date of the 10th Annual Daily News All-Star game was incorrectly reported last week. It will be played June 12 at 4:30 p.m. at Cal State Northridge.

Hop-along: Louisville and Chaminade figure to race Alemany for the Mission title.

Louisville coach Dana Vasquez got a leg up on her racing credentials on Saturday, when she ran in the Los Angeles Marathon. She finished in a little more than four hours.

"I was having an incredible race until the 15th mile," she said. "Then my knee went out. I am very sore. I can barely move."

Name of the game: Don't expect to see very many runs scored in the Marmonte League this season.

No other area league has as many talented pitchers.

Camarillo's Melanie Richardson and Cindy Ball, Westlake's Kelly De Arman, Newbury Park's Kristi Fox, Thousand Oaks' Jennifer Sharron, Agoura's Jennifer Grennan and Simi Valley's De Stefano and Tande should make for a lot of quick, 1-0 games.

"We've got the top pitchers in Southern California," Westlake coach Beth Calcante said.

KEEPING TABS

Bulldog in the circle: Pitcher Lindsay Parker, last season's Daily News Player of the Year, is the No. 2 starter at national power Fresno State.

The freshman from La Canada High School is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA for the Bulldogs. She fired a four-hitter in a 2-0 shutout against Ohio State on Sunday.

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PHOTO

Photo LISA De STEFANO