Pirates Mercy Santa Monica, Move Into First Place Tie

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 Pirates pounded out 16 hits against the Corsairs. Breana Betancourt had a triple and a home run while  knocking in three runs and Alyson Mora had two hits with an RBI. Justine De La Rosa smacked out a pair of hits, including a triple, with two runs batted in while Arianna Rivas was 2-3 with a triple. Best helped her own cause with a hit and an RBI.

The Pirate victory, coupled with two losses by Hancock to Cuesta puts the three teams in a virtual tie for first place in the WSC North with a week left in the season. All three have five conference losses, with VC and AHC scheduled for two more conference games and Cuesta with four.

Ventura will host Antelope Valley on Saturday April 22 at 11:00 am in a make up of a rain-out on February 10. The Pirates close the regular season with a home double-header against Oxnard on Tuesday April 25.