
The VC softball team clinched at least a share of the Western State Conference North Division championship Thursday with a 12-2 5-inning victory over visiting Oxnard. Sophia Valencia was 2-3 at the plate, including a triple, with a run batted in and a run scored. Meanwhile, Madison Shay had a home run and a single, knocking in three runs and scoring twice. Jennie Jacinto also recorded three RBI with two hits and scored two runs. Bryanne Magana pitched a complete game to pick up the win in the circle.
The Pirates grabbed the early lead with a three-run first inning. Shay knocked in Baylany Magana with an RBI single and Br. Magana had the big hit of the inning, a two-run single to score Shay and Savanna Higgins.
Ventura then put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the second. Valencia and Dakota Moore each hit one-out singles before a sacrifice bunt attempt by Ba. Magana turned into an infield single on which Valencia scored from second. The remaining base runners moved ahead one base on the attempted play at the plate, leaving Jacinto to bring in both runners with a two-RBI single. One out later Shay delivered a two-run home run to put VC ahead 8-0.
VC added four more runs in the bottom of the third for good measure. Valencia hit an RBI triple to score Erika Sanchez and Jacinto's RBI single scored Moore. Higgins' base hit pushed Ba. Magana across home and Jacinto scored on an error for the 12-0 advantage.
The Condors scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but the Pirates still captured the run-rule victory.
Ventura (25-8, 11-2) remain one game ahead of Moorpark in the loss column with one WSC North game remaining on the schedule. The Raiders will receive a forfeit win from Los Angeles Pierce On tuesday Apr. 22, forcing the Pirates to defeat Hancock on the road to claim the outright conference title on Tuesday.