The Ventura College softball team traveled to Van Nuys and were able to outlast the Monarchs for a 7-6 win in extra innings. Brittney Banales went 2-4 with two RBI and blasted a home run. Marina Coffin was 2-2 and Mariah Gamboa went 2-3 with two doubles and one RBI.
Ventura (8-5) fell behind the Monarchs 2-0 after three innings of play. They rallied with three runs in the fourth inning and held the lead for one inning before LAVC tied it 3-3 after five innings. Then the two teams stayed deadlocked until the eighth inning when Ventura put up two runs in the top half of the frame, but Valley rallied with two in the bottom of the eighth to force another inning of play. VC put up two more runs in the top half of the ninth inning and then allowed just one in the bottom of the ninth for a 7-6 win in nine innings.
Olivia Hernandez started for Ventura in the circle and went the distance for the win. Her catcher was Lindsey Dietz. Ventura collected eight hits in the game. Banales, Coffin and Gamboa each had their two hits. Farris Burke and Julia Garcia added doubles.
Ventura will return home on Saturday Feb. 27 for a double header. They will start with a 12:00 pm game against Rancho Santiago and then following the early game they will face off with San Diego Mesa.