Taking Control

By PAIGE A. LEECH

May 24, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Katie Stokx of Newbury Park High is playing softball like there is no tomorrow.

Stokx (pronounced Stokes) knows each game could be the last of her impressive four-year career, and she is doing everything within her power to not let it end.

With a red-hot, fired-up Stokx leading the way, Newbury Park (20-10) has won two playoff games and will face La Habra Sonora (21-10) today at 3:15 p.m. in a Southern Section Division III quarterfinal at Sonora.

“[The team] looks up to her,” Coach Lynn Baum said. “She keeps this team focused. She practices hard and makes everybody else practice hard.”

Stokx (11-6), who shared pitching duties with Chrissy Zappia for most of the last two seasons, has seized control in the playoffs.

The right-hander, bound for Chico State, has allowed one hit and struck out 17 in 13 scoreless innings.

Stokx relieved Zappia, a junior, in the second inning after Zappia had a shaky start against first-round opponent Atascadero.

Stokx pitched six innings of hitless relief, struck out seven and walked one in the Panthers’ 5-1 victory.

After Stokx’s performance, Baum had a change of heart about the pitching rotation.

“Katie’s the senior, she deserves to pitch these playoff games,” Baum said.

Offensively, Stokx is having her most productive season. She has 15 runs batted in and leads the team with a .427 average, nearly 100 points better than her previous high as a sophomore.

In four seasons, Stokx has 460 strikeouts in 466 innings and a 0.83 earned-run average.

But the riseball pitcher has clearly saved her best for last. This season, she has allowed 45 hits and struck out 128 in 111 2/3 innings with a 0.57 ERA.

And Stokx shows no signs of letting up.

She pitched a one-hitter, struck out 10 and delivered a two-run double to help Newbury Park defeat Dos Pueblos, 3-0, Tuesday in a second-round game.

“I’ve tried to work as hard as I can to get the chance to pitch,” said Stokx, who has lengthened her workout time in the postseason.

“It shows me that the work has paid off.”

Baum believes the alternating rotation through the regular season is paying dividends in the playoffs.

“I see the advantage now that I’m going with Katie,” Baum said. “She’s still fresh, where some of these other pitchers that have pitched every game throughout the season are now starting to get tired.

“She’s fresh, she wants the ball, she’s ready to go.”

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HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

Southern Section Quarterfinals

(All games start at 3:15 p.m.)

Division I

Esperanza at Valencia

Division II

California at Hart

Don Lugo vs. Thousand Oaks at

Thousand Oaks Community Center

Division III