2017 Ventura College Softball Team News
Fresh off their return to the top of the Western State Conference standings in 2017, the Ventura College softball team is proud to announce that five members of the team are transferring to four-year schools in 2017-18. Four of those transfers plan on continuing their softball careers at the four-year level.
Ventura College sophomore slugger Brittany Perez earned All-State honors as awarded by the California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association. The shortstop from Buena High School was in the Top-20 in the state in five individual offensive categories, including triples (7, 5th), home runs (11, 8th), runs batten in (49, 14th), runs scored (53, 19th) and hits (63, 20th). She led the Pirates to a 29-14 record and the program's first Western State Conference championship since 2012, earning WSC Most Valuable Player honors.
Sophomore shortstop Brittany Perez was named the Western State Conference Most Valuable Player and first-year head coach Sonia Ford was named Coach of the Year in voting by the conference softball coaches earlier this month. The awards headlined several All-WSC North Division accolades for the Pirates, who finished tied atop the conference for the first time since 2012. Sophomores Julianne Abeloe and Justine De La Rosa and freshmen Anissa Padilla and Celeste Ekman also earned first-team ALL-WSC honors.
The Pirate softball team went down swinging Saturday in the SoCal Regional Playoffs, falling in the second game of the best-of-three series at Mt. San Antonio College 11-7. The Mounties earned the series sweep and advance to the Super Regional while the Pirates (29-14) end their season, but not without a fight. Ventura, the No. 16 seed, took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning on Celeste Ekman's tape-measure 3-run home run, but could not hold off the bracket's No. 2 seed.
In the first game of a best two-of-three series, the Pirate softball team fell 8-0 Friday evening at Mt. San Antonio College in five innings. The Pirates, seeded No. 16 in Southern California, could not get on base against the No. 2-seeded Mounties, as Mt. SAC retired all 15 batters the Pirates sent to the plate. Anissa Padilla took to the circle for VC (29-13), yielding eight runs, six earned, over the five innings with two strikeouts.
Sophomore catcher Julianne Abeloe went 4-4 at the plate with a double, a triple and three runs batted in, and threw out three would-be base stealers at second base to lead the Pirate softball team to an 8-2 victory over Grossmont in the play-in round of the CCCAA SoCal Regional Playoffs Tuesday at the VC Softball Complex. Pitcher Anissa Padilla struck out eight Griffins to pickup the complete-game win as VC advanced to the best two-of-three round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
The Western State Conference champion Pirate softball team will host its playoff opener on Tuesday May 2 at the VC Softball Complex at 2:30 pm against Grossmont College. The Pirates (28-12) host the Griffons (21-17) in the one-game play-in game, with an opportunity to advance to the best two-of-three first round series on Saturday and Sunday, May 6 and 7 at No. 1 Cypress or No. 2 Mt. San Antonio.
After sitting for five days tied for first place with one double header remaining in the season, turns out the games were the easy part. The Pirate softball team swept visiting Oxnard in a pair-of five-inning games, 8-0 and 12-2 to capture a share of the Western State Conference North Division championship Tuesday at the VC Softball Complex. The Pirate battery came up big, with pitcher Anissa Padilla throwing a 1-hit shutout in the first game and catcher Julianne Abeloe hitting three triples with two RBI in the nightcap.
Perhaps Saturday's contest between Western State Conference East Division champion Antelope Valley and WSC North Division championship contender Ventura was better suited for April than its original February 10 date. The two playoff caliber teams went toe-to-toe at the VC Softball Complex for nine innings before the Marauders broke open a scoreless tie to take the 4-0 victory. Anissa Padilla had a solid day in the circle for VC (26-12, 17-5) while Julianne Abeloe and Arianna Rivas recorded the only two hits for the Pirates.
Megan Best pitched a 1-hit shutout, facing the minimum number of batters as the Pirate softball team easily defeated visiting Santa Monica 15-0 Thursday at the VC Softball Complex. Julianne Abeloe was 3-4 with a home run and a pair of runs batted in and Julianna Andrade was 2-3 with a homer and four RBI for the Ventura (26-11, 17-5). With the win, VC moves into a virtual three-way tie for first with Hancock and Cuesta atop the Western State Conference North Division.
The Pirate softball team turned the Western State Conference North Division into a three team race Tuesday with a double-header sweep over Bakersfield. Ventura won decisions of 2-1 and 6-5, in nine innings, to keep within shouting distance of first place Hancock and to remain in a second place tie with Cuesta. THe victories also knocked the Renegades out of the conference race, sending them
The Pirate softball team swept a double header at Santa Monica Monday in a make-up from a rain on on March 21. VC (23-11, 13-5) won the first game 10-2 before powering past the Corsairs 23-3 in the second contest. Julianna Andrade had seven hits on the day with nine RBI to lead Ventura while Justine De La Rosa smacked out six hits with six runs batted in.
The longest road trip of the Western State Conference season turned into the longest ride home for the Pirate softball team Thursday. VC gave up one unearned run to the host Cuesta Cougars, falling 1-0 in a key WSC North Division contest in San Luis Obispo. Brittany Perez had two hits, including a double, for Ventura (21-11, 12-5) and Ariana Rivas and Celest Ekman recorded a double and a single, respectively in the contest. Anissa Padilla had a strong outing in the pitcher's circle, giving up no earned runs in six complete innings.
The Ventura College softball team split a double header at Santa Barbara Tuesday, falling in the first game 5-3 before taking the nightcap 8-3. Brittany Perez had five hits on the day, including a home run and a double, with three RBI while Justine De La Rosa had three hits, including a home run, and three RBI. Anissa Padilla was solid in the circle for Ventura (21-10, 12-4), pitching 13 innings in the twin-bill giving up four earned runs.
The Pirates' softball team used a walk-off walk in the bottom on the ninth inning to claim a 1-0 victory over visiting Allan Hancock Thursday afternoon at the VC Softball Complex. Anissa Padilla drew a bases loaded base on balls with two outs to force in Justine De La Rosa for the game-winning run. With the win, VC (20-9, 11-3) pulls closer to the log jam atop the Western State COnference North Division.
The Pirate softball team had a difficult road trip Monday, falling 8-0 at Santa Ana College. Ventura (19-9, 10-3) managed just three hits on the day against Santa Ana pitching, doubles by Justine De La Rosa and Celeste Ekman, and a single by Brittany Perez. Anissa Padilla pitched four innings for VC, giving up seven runs and Megan Best pitched into the sixth, yielding the final run of the game.
