Early Pirate lead slips away in setback at Southwestern

The VC softball team grabbed the first lead Saturday, but Southwestern answered quickly and pulled away for a 9-2 victory over the Pirates in Chula Vista. Aubrey Aguirre smacked a two-run home run in the first inning to put Ventura on top, but the Pirate offense was limited to four hits the rest of the way.

VC struck first in the top of the first inning on Aguirre's homer that also scored Baylany Magana. Aguirre finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored, accounting for both Ventura runs. That early swing gave the Pirates momentum, but Southwestern responded in the second, producing the tying runs that evened the score at 2-2.

From there, Southwestern settled in, limiting Ventura to three hits the rest of the way. VC threatened in the top of the fourth inning when Jayla Raya singled and Isabella Padilla doubled, but the Jaguars retired the side and kept the Pirates from mounting another scoring threat.

The decisive stretch came in the middle innings, when SWC erased a 2-2 tie with four runs in the fourth and added three more in the fifth to take control.

Magana made the start in the circle and Emma Estrella came on in relief for the Pirates.

Ventura will return home on Tuesday Apr. 21 to host Allan Hancock in the regular season finale.