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Thousand Oaks Today
By the People, for the People
West Ranch Softball Cruises Past Thousand Oaks
Kara Carnes drives in six runs as Wildcats win 10-4 in Camarillo Tournament
Mar. 29, 2026 at 3:48am
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The West Ranch softball team defeated Thousand Oaks 10-4 in their first game of the Camarillo Tournament on Saturday. Kara Carnes drove in six runs for the Wildcats, while starting pitcher Gretchen Roen delivered a complete-game performance, allowing just four runs.
Why it matters
The win improves West Ranch's record to 13-3 on the season, as they continue their strong start. For Thousand Oaks, the loss drops them to 5-8 as they look to bounce back in the tournament.
The details
West Ranch jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but Thousand Oaks responded with four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-2 advantage. However, the Wildcats rallied with three runs in the third inning to tie it at 4-4, then broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning, highlighted by Carnes' two-run double.
- The game was played on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Camarillo High School.
The players
Kara Carnes
The West Ranch catcher drove in six runs to power the Wildcats' offense.
Gretchen Roen
The West Ranch starting pitcher delivered a complete-game performance, allowing four runs and driving in two runs at the plate.
Michael Merrilees
The West Ranch head coach praised his team's execution of their 'brand of small ball' in the victory.
Heather Spohr
The Thousand Oaks head coach believes her team is 'right there' and just needs that 'breakthrough game'.
Juliette Merrilees
The West Ranch infielder executed a successful safety squeeze to tie the game at 4-4 in the third inning.
What they’re saying
“We played our brand of softball. Mixing in good ground balls, line drives, playing our brand of small ball.”
— Michael Merrilees, West Ranch Head Coach
“We're right there and we're just gonna we're going to have that breakthrough game.”
— Heather Spohr, Thousand Oaks Head Coach
“I just read the defense. We pride ourselves in bunting, so playing small ball, and you have one of your better base runners on base. It's a no-brainer.”
— Juliette Merrilees, West Ranch Infielder
“I just tried to drive down on the ball to make sure I drive everyone in, and I'll pop it up, because pop-ups are easy outs.”
— Kara Carnes
“Total workhorse. Glad to see the performance she had today, minimizing pitches. So that was really, really good. Five innings, 70 pitches.”
— Michael Merrilees, West Ranch Head Coach
The takeaway
This game showcased the dynamic duo of Kara Carnes and Gretchen Roen leading West Ranch to a decisive victory, as the Wildcats continue to build momentum in the early part of the season. For Thousand Oaks, the loss is a setback, but the team remains optimistic about finding their breakthrough performance soon.
