Softball pulls away late to beat Santa Barbara 5-2

The VC softball team broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the fifth inning and added an insurance run in the sixth Thursday afternoon to defeat Santa Barbara 5-2 at the VC Softball Complex. Samantha Soto had three hits with a run batted in and a run scored for the Pirates (16-15-1, 8-0) while Aubrey Aguirre knocked in a pair of runs with a first-inning double. Jayla Raya scored twice in the game for Ventura.

The decisive stretch came after both teams traded runs in the opening inning. Santa Barbara jumped in front 2-0 in the top of the first. Ventura answered immediately in the bottom half, tying the game when Aguirre knocked in Erika Sanchez and Raya. From there, the Pirates' pitching staff settled in and the offense kept applying pressure.

VC finished the game with 10 hits and broke through for good in the fifth. Raya and Zayra Landeros each drove in runs in the inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-2, and Soto's single in the bottom of the sixth scored Abby Ibarra to finish the job.

Soto turned in one of Ventura's top offensive performances, going 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI. Aguirre finished with two RBIs, while Ventura also drew three walks and struck out only twice in 26 at-bats. 

Emma Estrella earned the win with three scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits and striking out three to improve to 5-3. Baylany Magana started the game in the circle, throwing three scoreless frames after yielding a pair of runs in the first.

The Pirates will return to Los Angeles Valley on Friday Apr. 3 to conclude a contest from Feb. 17 that was suspended due to weather. The contest will resume with the Pirates trailing the Monarchs 7-4. VC will resume Western State Conference play at Cuesta on Thursday Apr. 9.