The Pirate softball team scored three runs in the first inning, and had a 5-0 lead at Canyons Thursday, making it hold up in their 6-4 victory over the Cougars. Angelina Flores was 3-4 at the plate, including a double, with two runs batted in and a run scored. Sophie Dahlstedt, Kayla Garcia and Ariana Rivas all had two hits each in the game. Anissa Padilla pitched four innings to pick up the win and Megan Best threw three frames for the save.
In the first inning, Dahlstedt doubled to open the game and scored on Celeste Ekman's single. Flores followed two batters later with a single to score Brittney Banales, who reached base via a walk, and Ekman for the 3-0 Pirate advantage.
Ventura (5-2) loaded the bases to open the second when Banales singled home Rivas to extend the lead.
In the third, the Pirates scored one more run when Flores singles to start the inning, then came around to score three batters later on an error.
With a 5-0 advantage, VC gave up one run in the bottom of the third inning, and three more in the fourth. They kept the Cougars scoreless over the final three frames, and added an insurance run in the seventh when Garcia singled home Best, who ran for Flores after a one-out double.
Ventura next travels to LA Mission College on Tuesday Feb. 13.