The Ventura College softball team played host to cross county rival and fell in a pair of nail-biters. In the opener Ventura lost in extra innings 4-3 to MC, then in the second game of the doubleheader the Pirates dropped a close 2-1 decision to the Raiders. Lindsey Dietz topped the Pirates with three hits on the day including a double. Julianne Abeloe and Julia Garcia each knocked out two hits.
Moorpark 4 Ventura 3
Returning to Western State Conference play the Pirates looked to remain undefeated. Ventura fell behind 3-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning, but were able to pull back into a tie game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The two teams played to a scoreless draw over the next three frames heading into the tenth inning. With international tiebreaker rules in use placing runners on base to begin the inning the Raiders were able to plate one run in the top of the tenth inning and hold on for a 4-3 win.
Olivia Hernandez started in the circle for the Pirates and was dealt her first conference loss going the distance for VC. Dietz knocked out a double for Ventura with Abeloe going two for four in the game.
Moorpark 2 Ventura 1
Looking to rebound from a heart breaking loss in the opener Ventura turned back to Hernandez for game two. MC took an early 1-0 lead after the top of the third inning, but the Pirates responded quickly with a run of their own in the bottom of the third inning. The Raiders though came right back and plated another run in the top of the fourth inning and made it hold up over the final four frames against the Pirates offensive attack for the sweep of the doubleheader.
Dietz collected two more hits for the Pirates with Garcia adding two hits in the game. Ventura had a total of seven hits with Claira Lozano adding a double.
Ventura is now 12-9 on the season and 2-2 in Western State Conference North play. Ventura travels for their next three games. On Thursday Mar. 24 the Pirates take on Santa Barbara City in a 2:30 pm game at SBCC. Then on Tuesday Mar. 29 they will travel to Woodland Hills to play Los Angeles Pierce for a doubleheader with the first game set for a 1:00 pm start.